The pelting held off until belatedly inwards the twenty-four hours yesterday, which was proficient because Mike actually needed to mow the field. He started to mow it lastly weekend, but thence disaster struck alongside his mower tire. He was mowing away alongside the tractor when a bike came off the mower deck beingness towed behind. He didn't abide by it until he headed dorsum the other agency as well as thence ran over the wheel, cutting it to ribbons as well as bending the shaft that held it to the mower deck. Oy. And, well, Mike is actually proficient at fixing things, but it took closed to fourth dimension to larn a novel tire as well as repair the shaft. Anyway...he got 'er finished yesterday, as well as our hay fever volition give thank yous us for an halt to the blooming weeds as well as grass. Temporarily, at least.
Before he started making dissonance as well as dust, I got exterior for a walk around. I'm however watching that poppy, but it hasn't changed much. Instead, I took pictures of the actual blooming things, including this dark regal rhododendron. This is my favorite.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 vecino at our previous habitation had a dark regal rhodie inwards their yard, as well as I loved it. When nosotros moved to our novel place, it seemed a natural alternative for the landscaping nosotros needed to do, as well as thence nosotros bought one. Then nosotros went on a week-long camping ground trip. Matthew was however living alongside us dorsum than, as well as he was keeping things watered piece nosotros were gone. This rhodie was stuck dorsum inwards a corner, as well as he but missed it inwards his watering. When nosotros returned home, it was a crispy critter. Mike stuck it inwards a bucket of water, hoping nosotros could revive it, as well as it lives today to tell the tale.
Its vecino across the sidewalk is a lighter shade of purple, as well as it is covered inwards flowers now.
The bumblebees similar it. I noticed this guy, thence however I idea he mightiness live dead. And thence I reached over as well as touched him. He sort of moved grumpily, similar a lazy teenager, but didn't wing off. He exactly stayed similar that, as well as he allowed me to pet his furry body. I've seen this earlier alongside bumblebees. It's equally if they are mesmerized past times the blossom they're sitting on.
Walking on, I noticed we're getting strawberries. We never larn to swallow whatever of these because the squirrels assist themselves earlier they fifty-fifty ripen.
Smitty was accompanying me along the way.
There live squirrels where he's looking. Occasionally, he catches 1 as well as has a trivial snack.
You mightiness abide by the weeds lying in that location side past times side to him. I similar to trace them upwardly equally I go, as well as thence I exactly throw them as well as move out them where they prevarication equally a alert off to other weeds that mightiness create upwardly one's heed to grow there. It's the gardener's equivalent of heads on pikes.
In the greenhouse, the red-leaf lettuce is doing well. It's however likewise immature to foremost picking from it, but it's moving along.
The butter lettuce hasn't done a thing...not a unmarried seed has germinated. So I checked my seed packet, as well as the seeds were packed for 2015. They're in all likelihood old, as well as thence I ordered closed to novel ones as well as replanted. And I can't nation much for the sunflowers either. Two of the zucchini pots bring germinated, as well as are almost ready to live planted inwards the ground. Behind them is the 1 sunflower that germinated early on. The repose sat in that location doing nothing.
I did closed to reading on this as well as finally decided I'd shot myself inwards the pes past times roofing the pots. The seeds may bring gotten likewise warm (or stayed likewise wet) to germinate. Besides, those seeds were old too. So I uncovered them, as well as replanted alongside what I had on hand. For proficient measure, I ordered closed to novel seeds. Yesterday, I noticed that quite a few bring germinated now, as well as thence I should bring sunflowers soon.
While I was ordering seeds, I ordered closed to novel varieties, as well as those bring been planted straightaway too. I'll bring to a greater extent than sunflowers than I know what to produce with, but the birds similar them. Where there's a will, there's a identify to establish them.
Back outside, in that location are plums on the plum tree.
Cherries on the Bing cherry tree...
And on the Black Tartarian cherry tree. Do yous suppose we'll larn to a greater extent than cherries this year? That would live great.
Oh as well as look! It's the notorious Catbird!
There are chive blossoms now, but non plenty yet for making vinegar. Probably subsequently inwards this calendar week I'll bring plenty to larn started alongside that.
Oh as well as look! It's the Black-crested Catbird! This is a rare species, interesting for its lack of a tail.
Okay, thence getting dorsum to my sewing, I made a dark yo-yo that serves equally an opening for the bee skep.
And thence I made the 2nd of May's blocks for the Garden Sunshine quilt. This took forever.
When it was finished, I was sort of tired of sewing, but May's commitment for the Garden Sunshine quilt is finished.
And after all that sewing, I had a yen for dessert. I've move real interested inwards desserts for two. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 duet of nights ago, I sat alongside my friend The Google searching for "desserts for two." I came across quite a few inwards my wanderings. Then yesterday afternoon, I said to Mike, "Do yous mean value I should brand a dessert for two?" And he answered, "Well, I'm non going to nation 'no'." There were in all likelihood other choices, but for sure, I had the ingredients to brand a Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie for Two.
It was super slow to mix it up. It used 2 pocket-sized bowls, a fork, as well as a spoon. Oh yes, as well as something to melt the butter in. No mixer required. It was baked inwards a 6-1/2 inch cast Fe skillet. Once yous bring it mixed up, yous spread it out roofing the bottom of the well-buttered skillet, as well as thence bake it (I used my toaster oven) at 350°F for 18-20 minutes. (Mine was ready after eighteen minutes.)
When it came out of the oven, it looked similar this.
It's made alongside 2/3 of one-half a loving cup (did yous larn that?) of chocolate chips. The residual of the chips tin live sprinkled over the compass when it comes out of the oven, or yous tin melt them into a syrup to pour over the top. I opted for the former. The cookie is however warm plenty to melt as well as soften the chips.
I'll acknowledge closed to of them cruel into my mouth. It happens every time. I in all likelihood ask to operate on my technique. When it comes to desserts, I ever mean value it's proficient to do equally much equally possible.
It was likewise early to swallow it exactly then, as well as thence nosotros waited until later, as well as thence cutting it inwards half, warmed it inwards the microwave, as well as thence plopped closed to vanilla H2O ice cream over the top.
Oh. My. Gosh. It was thence good. Do yous ever swallow something thence proficient as well as yummy that you're exhausted past times the fourth dimension you're finished, exactly from uttering the ooohs as well as ahhhs piece eating it? Honestly, it was that good. I've linked to the recipe dorsum there, but inwards representative yous missed it, just click correct here.
Okay, thence that was a sweetness agency to halt the day. Today I bring exactly 1 to a greater extent than monthly projection to operate on. I desire to brand 2 to a greater extent than blocks for the Countdown to Christmas sew-along. I actually should give them closed to other mention because I'm using my bluish as well as dark-green scraps on them, equally a agency to cull the herd of blues as well as greens. So far, I swear, I can't fifty-fifty come across a dent. In fact, I'm sure enough I bring to a greater extent than scraps straightaway than when I started. When I bring those 2 blocks finished, I'll live ready to foremost quilting the Cardinal mosaic.