i brake for flowers

our flowers and trees here at home have been quite slow coming into bloom this year—which is probably good, since the blossoms last a little longer when it’s cool. last year, everything came and went in a big bang, with hardly time to enjoy it.

getting out and about on my bike over the last few weeks, i’ve been monitoring the budding out process of my favorite neighborhood speciman tree—a gorgeous cherry that spreads out wide to create a feature in its corner spot. last thursday, it had a few reluctant flowers open to test the air and as i drove off friday morning to PA, i wondered if i’d miss its peak bloom this year.

then when the weekend turned out so frosty, i feared it would lose all its flowers and buds to the cold, so i was anxious on monday morning to see what shape it was in.

wow—not bad, eh? it was a day of stellar weather as i set out on my bike and i caught the tree in what can only be described as the absolute peak of perfection—every single flower was wide open and yet, not a petal to be seen on the ground.

by the next day when i ran under it, they were coming down in showers.

our own apple tree is finally showing some leaf action; i hope it blooms nicely this year; last year we had just a few flowers, though we did have more apples than ever.

but listen, before i go any further, someone whispered a message in my ear that she wants me to pass on to you

my friend katherine delores would like to thank those of you who visited her blog the other day and hopes that you—and any favorite pets you know—will continue to do so.

darlings, she’s got loads of deLICiousness to share . . . so please stay tuned; you never know when chocolate cake will appear.
(and also, she excuses herself for being caught on camera in such a frightfully undone state, but there you have it—the paparazzi are absolutely relentless when it comes to celebrities)

and now back to nature . . .

yes, we’ve had some beautiful days in the last week, filled with that emollient spring light—the kind you feel you could hold in your hands.

everything is the yard is coming to life—daffodils and jonquils popping up all over

hyacinth spread across the lawn in a carpet—david’s springtime orchestration of bulbs is coming to a crescendo this week.

here’s a new daffodil  that i’m calling “fancy pants”

and the first tulips of the year are making their appearance. hundreds more are due to open one color after another in a rollout that should go on for another week or two.

just the other day i finally found some hosta nubs coming up, about an inch or so high. no may apple yet, but the solomon’s seal is poking out too

so tiny yet it could easily be missed, except i am so desperate to find any signs of life out there, that i end up checking daily.

the very first few lily of the valley sprang as well—the ones nearest the foundation where it’s a little warmer.

and my climbing hydrangea is leafing out—it’s going to be wonderfully bushy this year.

but i think one of my favorite spring sights this week is this

swiss chard coming back from last year. and not just one, either

nearly the whole patch is making a comeback. after the awfully hot and dry summer we had last year—most unfriendly for greens—this cool, rainy spring is just what they love.

i know they won’t last and they may not even get much past the height they are now, but i’m still thrilled to see them. i’ll be happy if we get a few fresh leaves for an omelet out of it.

parsnip tops are greening up too, which kris told me is the sign to get them out of the ground—once they start growing, they turn to wood at the core.

last friday when i was packing to go away, i noticed a robin madly working to refresh the nest that has become a fixture near the ceiling of our front porch—used for three or four years running now.

i first noticed her from the kitchen window, poking around in the garden, selecting choice pieces of straw and longer grasses and guessed what she was up to. when i ran around to peek out the washroom window that looks onto the porch, sure enough she was swooping in to add them to that nest, though she moved too quickly to get a picture.

haha, when i got home on sunday, the nest was another level higher (which totally cracks me up).

and by tuesday, she was sitting in her tower, keeping something warm, but it’s too high to see how many. usually the first clutch is three or four. so i guess we should look for a hatching then in about two or two and a half weeks time?

while i was out for that long bike ride on monday, i took the route that goes past the swan ponds to see what was up over there; i like to report swan progress to my nephew amad in las vegas when i write him. isn’t that willow tree pretty with its new bright green leaf sprouts?

on one side of the road, the black swans are, as usual, standing at the ready to be as unfriendly as possible to whomever takes an interest in their pond.

while on the other side, the white swans are too busy getting their nest ready to threaten just anyone—yet. when they have babies, that will change.

i went to the water’s edge to get a closer look, disturbing what seemed like dozens of turtles, who went hurtling into the water for a getaway with some pretty entertaining diving and swimming moves.

well then the swans took interest and swam over, to see what the racket was all about.

they don’t have babies quite yet so they are still showing off, hoping to get a bit of bread out of it when visitors come to the pond.

they careened back and forth in front of me, but i had nothing to offer; i got back on my bike and headed home to get ready for class.

it’s still crazy weather here though. that day was a gorgeous nearly seventy degrees and tuesday was even warmer; i wore a sleeveless running top and got some color. but then yesterday temperatures plunged to the low 40s and this morning there is a heavy layer of frost and i don’t think it’s much higher that 32 right now. crazy pants, right?

i have a new pattern to release tomorrow, for the infinity scarf i showed you the other day—the perfect thing for these wild swings in the weather. in our breakfast blend fingering yarn, it’s soft and cozy when doubled; light and airy when loosened.

once it was blocked, i decided to change the name because the texture made it look much more like beach sand than fluff.

so now it is tidal sands. we did a nice photo shoot the other day and it’s all set to go—look for that tomorrow morning.

we are madly working away on replacing our supplies of breakfast blend yarns; artisan yarns take some time to make and we are testing some new colors as well. i promise, it will be worth the wait!

ok then, time for me to start my work day; back tomorrow with that pattern.