Planting on Memorial Day

Today turned out to be the perfect day to transfer the plants I bought into various pots and planters on my deck. Yesterday was too hot and muggy (we got into the 80's!) with little gnatty-like bugs fluttering about. And when I stopped on my walk later in the day when it had cooled a little to tighten a shoelace, I was immediately attacked by several mosquitos even though I was in the sun. I remember well most years having to fight off mosquitos while getting plants into my pots so what a relief to find today about ten degrees cooler and windy. No mosquitos except briefly when the breeze died down momentarily.

I still need to pick up, sweep and arrange the smaller pots but I am so relieved to get this done. My usual geraniums are in the big tub while the other pots hold a mix of new flowers to try along with a few that have done well in the past, like begonias and pansies. I usually stay away from marigolds because I don't like the smell, but I needed something yellow and that was all my store had. The purple one is Verbena and smells heavenly. The tall bloomless plants are ones that wintered over - the name escapes me at the moment - and they look particularly healthy. 

I even transplanted the Easter lily I'd enjoyed in the house into a big pot and we'll see how it does. I planted one once along the foundation when I lived in a place with a more moderate winter and was so pleased that it survived the winter and bloomed the next year. Not sure I'll have that sort of luck here. Oh, and one daisy-like plant went into the pot out front next to the stairs to the front door. I think I'm going to pick up some nasturtium seeds to fill in around them. Cleanup can wait until tomorrow . . .

More Blooms!

The next trees to open up their blooms are these decorative plum trees in the park behind the animal shelter.

Every year they look better and better!

And the lilacs too are in full bloom, as usual just in time for the Lilac Festival over in Spokane WA (a little more than an hour away). I've been enjoying this tree along my walking route since I moved to Ponderay.

The Torchlight Parade is this evening and unfortunately for the kids, rain is predicted to start about when the parade does. It's a long parade, honoring our Armed Forces as well as the lilacs. I have fond memories of marching in this parade when I was in junior high (playing sax in the band) and high school (out front with the twirlers).

I'm getting tired of looking at the empty pots on my deck but have been waiting for the weather to warm a bit. My store put their pony packs on sale this week though so I picked out the usual 3 geraniums for the big copper tub and a variety of plants for the other planters. Weather is supposed to be a bit better next week so I'm hoping to get motivated to make the transfers.

Nature and Knitting

Spring really is here with trees along my walking route finally showing blooms. These are on a tree in front of the animal shelter. Have no idea what kind of tree.

Bees are back and busy.

And this gave me a chuckle - pretty much it, except in drier parts of the world, my friends in Arizona remind me!

I haven't seen a moose in several years, even though I know they are wandering about the area, so I was quite pleased to run into this one as I started down my street at the end of my walk. 

And I DID nearly run into him because he came out from behind a trailer parked at the side of the road only a few yards ahead of me. I slowly backed up and and ducked around to the far side of said trailer.

You can see I peeked around the trailer to see if he'd moved on. No. He stared my way for a very long time before ambling into the trees to browse. I made my escape when a car passed by creating a suitable shield. These babies are big (although this one is actually a bit small) and can be surly so giving them a wide berth is the best option. Not the first time I've nearly walked into a moose since I moved back to Idaho. Still waiting to see one sporting his rack.

I've only worked a little on the tote bag, getting the blocks quilted and still mulling piecing sequence as well as cutting a few more pieces - trying to hide seams and create more heft without making a separate lining, I really am making this harder than it should be. However, the cardigan is coming along with completion of the back - note at the top stitches that are on stitch holders that will be joined to similar stitches on the front panels with a 3 needle bind-off, something I'd not heard of so cross fingers I can find instructions for that. As I start knitting the left front panel, it has dawned on me that this is a bigger project than I realized what with it being longer than the sweater I just knit and the two front panels having turn backs requiring more stitches. I don't know why I thought this would be a quick project . . .

Maybe they're not all humility blocks?

I knew I had one row near the bottom left where my stitching got off because I messed up with the yarn overs. But when I laid it out for the photo shoot, I spotted another row farther up on the right side where stitches are off as well. Sigh . . . NOT going to try to fix it, in fact trying to fix a missing yarn over may be partly why it is off. Instead, just thinking of it like a "humble or humility" block in a quilt. Orrrrr . . . maybe some of those blocks and any knitting errors aren't intentionally humble ones but the result of tippling while working?