Editing the seasons ...

Since we didn't have a 'winter' to speak of, I didn't get my usual jump start on the sewing year. I have finished a few things, the back to my sister's quilt, all my log cabin blocks are done (quilt for ME), cutting out pieces for Starr's quilt .. I know, I jump to a few things at a time just to keep my mind from getting bored. Starr's quilt is tedious right now, and am slowly picking what fabrics will be butterflies, flowers or turtles. My log cabin now needs to get into rows -- now that the wall is vacant, that is possible. My civil war quilt, I'm on block #4.

Here's the EXtra large back for my sister's quilt. It measures 125x125 or thereabouts. When it is quilted it will be double-sided in effect from the log cabin on the front, and an off-center cabin for the back.  We'll see what happens when it's finally quilted!

But winter was ONE day this year.  February 12th.  So not only did I not get the my sewing projects further into the pipeline, so many things just didn't get done for the gardens. I usually take January and February to cut back, prune, and winter over the gardens. Mother Nature, however, had a much different idea. And planting a spring vegetable garden was very early! And having a flock of free range chickens?  They have been making sure I have no japanese beetles -- and if I find one, they have a competition to get which end.  But they can also be a pain when they remove the dirt I just put IN a bed, just to see what is underneath.  I'm down to a flock of 11, as I lost 2 hens. Don't know when I will replace them. I haven't had a hen go broody to put any new chix under this year.

This year I watched and waited to start the annual work, gardeners were being told to hold off any pruning as it would hinder the development of the fresh growth. But now that it's April, we've got overkill growth on some things. The mums, they survive anything as you can just 'do them'. My St. Joseph's coat rose on the other hand bushed out on the tops of the root bases I didn't clip as I didn't want to 'hurt' it.

So, now I have to make the decision of just where to clip and/or prune back cuz it's just TOO BIG. And I think it will need some string to help support all of this. There are a ton of blooms ready to open ... can't wait!  I also have a knockout rose bush that started to bloom 2 weeks ago, and this morning I counted several more just waiting to open to the warm air. My lilacs bloomed mid-March and are already gone.

I also have crepe mrytles -- 4 in the front yard, and 7 in the backyard.  I got 3 done in the front, let one go and 3 in the back and let 4 go.  One day I planned on getting to them and I turned around and they had leafed out overnight.  Scratch that from the 'to do' list.

What a clipped mrytle is supposed to do ...

 And this is what happens when I don't make it to create the look .. oh well ... clipping will happen anyway to shape the poor thing now !


So instead of worrying about what I haven't gotten to, I'm starting 'fresh'. My planned herb garden kept getting dug up by the flock. So, I painted a rusted tractor wheel JD Yellow -- they don't think it's real -- and they are staying away. I added marigolds, and am putting the spinach in with that.

I put a screen section around the circle which doesn't totally close, but I keep moving the opening so they are confused. Somedays it works.  


My tomatoes already have flowers and fruit. The asparagus is sprouting up, the garlic is showing, I even planted brussel sprouts! I'm adding more iris, new gladiolas, and my butterfly/hummingbird garden is overwrought with things that aren't flowers. So more dirt to turn over and add things to.

 

With all of this going on, I'm not spending a lot of time in the sewing room.  I do pass through the room to get outside to see the horses. After dark is the time I can sew. I did manage to recover a headboard for the camper. I removed all the staples and was very good about remembering how to reassemble it.  It came out great!  Next I will make curtains for the 2 sidewalls. I used my pleater on my featherweight and I am so proud of myself!

Here's what the colors were before I started .. and very dirty ..

  

  During the process -- bottom layer on, ruffle pleated .. I like this look !

  and the finished product !!  I painted the screwhead covers today and they are drying ... ready to be put on this weekend.

So, now that I've caught you up, I've got to get back outside and tackle something else. Have to run to grab a few bales of hay from a friend as cutting was scarce this past year. Hopefully with the early spring rains, it will only help to overcome the drought in the surrounding states and there will be an abundance to help the cattle in states where last  year they were without.  Then it's back to some chore somewhere outside 'til dark ... 

Sew on ...

Dee