.... of flora and needle

A family member gave me two little burlap bags last summer that she had received from attending a wedding; I was informed they were johnny-jump up seeds. I nonchalantly scattered the minuscule seeds in a little patch of back garden. And  then I waited all winter to be charmed with the happy faces of little pansy type faces springing up this spring. Nothing happened though I checked frequently.

But then this past Saturday I noticed this most unusual and stately plant growing here and there... and a faint memory was stirred. Could it be? I believe it is! I was tickled to discover a plant I have not had in my garden for many a year. 

Nigella... common and romantic name "love-in-a-mist".

 I have several plants here and there springing up, some this pleasing periwinkle color and others white with shades of blue at the center.
I just love surprises of this sort!

My needle has been engaged in smocking of late. I have planned two outfits for Ivy Elizabeth thus far. A mint green "watermelon" dress I found in my stash from when Charlotte was little. And a pretty floral romper which is in the process of being smocked with lavender threads to pull out the fabric's printed  lavender flowers.

During the winter months I would walk into my sunroom and the first thing my eyes would light upon were the African violets that welcome me in the sunroom. The purple African Violet was bought last winter, the two pink ones were birthday presents from Charlotte this past December.. Slow and steady, yet when they do bloom, what a thing of beauty!

wednesday granola

A Wednesday morn in May appears to be a very good day to begin a binge of healthy eating once again.  This granola is super easy to make and good in a wholesome not "show-offy" kind of way.

Wednesday Granola

4 cups dry oatmeal
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup almond butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven 325 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with coconut oil.
Heat honey and almond butter in pan until runny and smooth.
Meanwhile stir together oatmeal, cinnamon, and salt.
After the honey and butter are smooth, take off the heat and add the vanilla.
Pour over oatmeal stirring until fully incorporated.
Spread onto pan and bake for 20- 25 minutes, stirring at least once after the first 10 minutes of baking time.
Allow to cool.
You may substitute peanut butter, and consider maple syrup as your sweetener.

                                    Delicious with the most tender of crunch!

And why the name Wednesday granola, someone might just ask? Because it was first made on Wednesday, and  Wednesday granola just seems to fit its simplicity.

reflections

 As Lent has begun I am setting aside special time to read Scriptures and special devotionals intended for this season.  Reflections stream from these readings as I seek to understand and hear His voice in the daily mixings and rumblings of daily life.

Photos snapped with my Canon Rebel: 

An antique- framed picture, given to me by a friend years ago;

and a *Willow* figurine given to me by Rose on my birthday where"Grandmother" is etched on the bottom. She gave it to me days before my actual birthday party because she was so excited to give it to me and couldn't wait a day longer. I used a white coloring pencil to make her hair white, as some of us grandmothers are perceptibly adorned.

dreams of spring yarn along

 Knitting and reading... ahhh; a most delightful pursuit on the best of days, irregardless of the weather outside. And my world is shouting "SPRING"; perhaps too early, the peach crops will tell the true story this summer.

This particular knitting project was knitted in Baby Bee Sweet Delight, colorway, get this, Boo Pink...love it! The pattern can be found on Ravelry, Garter Yoke Baby Cardi by Jennifer Hoel. 

This sweater is an accessory for a smocked bishop dress I am presently sewing for baby Ivy, of course. I am thinking Easter dress, but her first birthday is just around the corner, so who knows.  Spring can be finicky in these parts so you never know when you might need a wrap or sweater of some sort for a chilly Easter morn. I lined the back of the garter yoke sweater with the fabric in the dress and likewise covered one 5/8 inch button at the top.

The book is typical Susan Branch charm. I especially love her quotes scattered throughout the handwritten pages.

Another wonderful opportunity to join with Ginny's Yarn Along this Wednesday.

earl grey lattes

Charlotte has a new violin teacher, a newly married beautiful, young woman, who is currently a student working on a Master's degree in violin performance. I do enjoy sitting in her upstairs apartment while the music lesson is going on... yet I recently happened upon a charming coffee/ crepe shop right across the street. And right from that very first visit  the deliciousness of earl grey lattes has become one of my weaknesses.  Yes, I can make them at home, but I would need to pull out my espresso machine with the cream steamer to truly get the same effect. You know how that goes... easier to walk across the busy street and buy them. This particular Monday afternoon while in town for lessons, I bring along my knitting and traffic sounds fade as I sip and knit for 45 minutes in the car.

silk ribbon emboidery

All it took was a Saturday morning gathered around a dining room table with a few ladies, an array of silk ribbon in beautiful shades of pink and green, and an intended project for creating a thumb pin cushion. 

I came home and after finishing my pin cushion(see in right hand corner), I went online and ordered a book and some spools of silk ribbon. Now I am accumulating my own stash for future projects. A new love of hand sewing has been birthed.

Monday afternoon...

...the last one in January 2017.

I am sitting in my sunny sewing room, but I should be outside walking, and I might yet take a brisk walk around the block in the next five minutes. But as I was sitting here journaling, I took the time to download some photos from my camera, and I discovered some past drafts and decided to post them.
Then that led to the question of why not post a bit about my Monday afternoon...?
St. Dalfour organic Earl Grey tea, my Bible, a journal, and Bach on Pandora.

And I  have set up a bit of a tea table in the corner of my sewing room. Note the sweet creamer and sugar bowl with the sewing notions. A friend brought those back from Ireland...perfect!

Hope your Monday is going grandly.

tweet-chirp dress

 Still working on something to tuck in baby girl's pocket. Something she will not get choked on because as we all so well know, everything goes in the mouth.

last day of november yarn along

       Thanksgiving is over and even though we lighted our first Advent candle on Sunday, and the Christmas tree is up and the decorating way on its way, the event that truly welcomes Christmas celebration into our family with full intensity is attending the annual performance of Handel's Messiah given by the local oratorio society/orchestra, which we attended last night. It was nothing less than glorious.

But with the balmy days of late and the carpet of leaves left underfoot, a source of confusion is created in my mind as we are on the brink of flipping our calendars to December.

 Nevertheless, I knit on, and I read books about godly woman.

 Women I want to emulate in their quest to know God, to serve Jesus, and to obey the voice of the Holy Spirit.

These particular socks I am presently knitting, I named the Merry-Go-Round Socks; the color of fir and pine trees against clear blue skies with the golden glow of sunny days... yes, Merry, a word we hear quite often during this season... and the constant going round and round on the ribbing and knitting that sock knitting certainly affords. I am thinking I will do an afterthought heel on this pair of socks.

I have finished the Fair Isle sweater mentioned a while back.  You may read about it if you like on ravelry, or on my past post.

And on this last day of November I am thankful to be able to join Ginny's Yarn Along.

...with a grateful heart

Sense of beauty is the gift of God,
for which those who have received it in good measure,
can never be thankful enough.
                                                      ~ Gertrude Jekyll

 Why does one upload from a wide, or not so wide, array of photos?
It does not have the sphere of making the day any more lovely. But for remembrance sake I share several photos of our Thanksgiving Day feast at Witt and Clarie's house, a distinct place where I found myself breathing and relaxing on a grand scale on Thanksgiving Day. To me that must be a sure sign of  being hailed as a good host and hostess. It was a day of balmy temps, spoken thanks, and palatable food. Claire's curry pumpkin soup was my most favorite dish of all.

*Claire set a beautiful table from her assortment of dishes and thanksgiving decorations.
*Don and I brought the collards and pumpkin pie
*Claire cooked the brined turkey and other side dishes
*the day was so warm we sat in the garden and watched the bees
*until I became chilly and moved into a patch of sunshine
*Charlotte, our photographer of the day, sat on the deck for a spell with her chevron glass of ginger ale

Thanksgiving

I have much to be thankful for this day.  Beef stew simmering on the stove anticipating a side of buttermilk biscuits for supper, an organic cabbage fermenting in the larder, and a walk in the woods where even the brambly briers that grabbed the legs of my jeans scratching through to my shin did not deter me.


And a completed sweater.

You may read about this sweater on my ravelry page.