Early May gardening...

It's been a bit of a roller coaster spring weather-wise.  I could be misremembering, but it seems like it was in the 80's in late March and parts of April.  And then April ended and May came in like the beginning of autumn.  We've had lots of rain and cool weather - for which I am truly thankful.  

The garden saw a planting in early April of radishes, kohlrabi and cabbage, and so far only the cabbage seems a lost cause.  The kohlrabi isn't looking great, but it has finally sprouted through the soil, so maybe there will be a few to harvest? And then, a few weeks ago, sugar snap peas were planted, and they are looking beautiful, but haven't grown much since it cooled down again.  I do see little vines, though, so hopefully they'll soon be climbing their trellises.  If I ever planted peas before, it's been too long ago for me to remember.  They feel like an experiment.  

Last year I enlarged the garden with cardboard, and after weeding the clover that overtook that new area during the warm early spring, I decided to try growing sweet corn in that space.

I only started to doubt the wisdom of that idea after I told Greg what I'd planted (thinking he'd be excited) and he proclaimed, "The raccoons are going to enjoy it!"

So, I've decided to consider sweet corn an experiment too.  

I'm just hoping the racoons don't humiliate me by taking the stalks down to the ground and creating a mess when they discover the tasty ears of corn.

While waiting for the garden to dry out again after several rains this week, I took stock of what else is growing that has needed little attention from me up to this point...

Cherries are coming on - I imagine we'll be enjoying a cherry cobbler in a few weeks.

And the garlic I planted in the full sun amongst the strawberry plants are looking glorious:

Another view (because I can't help myself):

And today I was shocked to discover ripening strawberries - just days away from picking:

It's only the first full week of May, right?  

Unfortunately, at least one bird has discovered the strawberries too.  I guess garlic leaves waving overhead in the breeze isn't enough of a deterrent.

And this little guy (and his three siblings) interrupted my thistle pulling in the walking onion patch:

After recovering my composure (after screaming when the first bunny jumped out right at my feet), I went back to pulling weeds, and accidentally disturbed the nest:

I haven't seen the little things for a week now. They hadn't (and still haven't) disturbed my peas, so I'm wondering if they were even weaned yet.  I'm tempted to worry about them, but then I remember the rascals will be trying to eat the new green been plants that will soon be sprouting.

My neighbor, who grows flowers, hopes the bunnies survived.  As a vegetable grower, I'm ambivalent.

And that is spring here on our little near-acre plot.  I'm eager to plant more things, but the upcoming temperatures don't look like there's any reason to be in a hurry about it.

How is May coming on in your corner of the world?

Finding unexpected treasures...

Another good week in the books! We welcomed rain and cooler weather last week and for the upcoming week at least.  I've gotten some more seeds planted, but more on outside things in another post.  

A day-trip to visit out of town friends yesterday was so satisfying. They're nearly finished with several years worth of updating their beautiful old house, and I thought something akin to a house-warming gift might be appropriate.  I toted along some doilies I've made and asked my friend if she'd like any or all of them.  I was thrilled when she said she'd love them all!  And then she led me to another room where she immediately placed one on a table under a clock.  It fit the spot perfectly!  In color and in size. 

Then this afternoon, we went to the second day of our local library book sale.  The deal of the day was to take anything/everything you wanted, and simply give a donation.

I told Greg as we headed out that I would love to find some old pamphlets or magazines with thread crochet patterns.  Doilies, filet crochet...  Anything like that.  Though, to be honest, I had no great expectations of finding anything much at all on the second day of the sale.

Were we ever surprised to drive up and see every table still full of books, dvds, and more books and more dvds!  And sooo many audio books.  It made me wonder if we even own a CD player anymore...

The first thing I did, though, was walk through the whole space (which spanned half the parking lot) looking for the craft section.  About ready to give up, I decided to check the section called "Home and Garden".  THERE were the crochet books!  I flipped through, looking for thread crochet and found one that looked kind of promising (if you don't look too hard at the cover):

How that frightful looking angel made the cover, I can't imagine.

With everything for the taking for one price, I didn't even bother to look inside the book.  I trusted Annie to have something in this Favorite Thread Projects book I might like to make.  

Finally, after scouring the crochet books, and not finding much that was interesting, I decided to make my way around the huge expanse of double-wide tables lined up end to end to check out the other side of the Home and Garden section - where honestly...  I imagined even less desirable things were relegated to.

On the other side, I didn't see any crochet-related books, and was about to move on to other things when I noticed a plastic bin full of...  what, I wasn't sure.  Upon closer inspection, I saw it had some craft publications in it.  It was packed so tightly, I had to pull things out to sort through them.  I saw some pictures of doilies, that looked promising.  As I was starting to make piles on the table for different types of crafts, Greg walked up and asked what I'd found.  I was holding one thing in my hand, when I said, "I found the mother lode"!  At first he thought I meant the item in my hand, but when I explained that I meant the tote full of all kind of craft magazines and pamphlets, he suggested I just take the whole thing.

"The whole thing?  Do you think I can?  It's a lot of things!"

We went to ask at the check-out table if that would be okay.  They laughed and said, it was not only okay, but wanted to know if we wanted the tote too.  "Really?  Does that not belong to anyone?"  They then told us that two sisters had donated all those craft publications and a bunch of books because they were moving from their home into an assisted living situation.  The booksale volunteers were happy I had found what felt like a treasure to me.  I hope somehow the sisters hear how thrilled I was with their donation. 

The box was so full, I couldn't manage it, so I put some things in a bag and Greg carried what was left in the tote to the car.  And I then scoured the rest of the sale.  We found some promising books and dvds, and after nearly two hours we headed home.

Wanna see the tote?  Liz (Highlandheffalump), you might just want to turn away for a moment.  😆

This 23-inch tote holds who knows how many craft publications.  In pulling some out, I've seen quite a few crochet magazines and pamphlets, a bunch of general craft magazines, and at least one cross stitch magazine.  I'm starting a pile of publications for plastic canvas, and thought I'd ask here if these are worth donating?  I'm guessing people still do plastic canvas stitching because I see the supplies in craft stores, but I've never done it (and don't plan to start) so I just don't know.  Please weigh in on that, if you have an opinion.

I'm pretty tickled to have a stash of craft publications to look through at my leisure.  While most everything is "old", many crochet patterns can be made new again simply by using modern colors schemes.  And sometimes one finds a gem in an old book or magazine that is so old it is new again.  Honestly, I would have loved to have found even older items, but this will be fun. I plan to take my time going through it all, but I'll try to remember to make note if I make anything from this treasure trove.

In terms of actual handcrafting I've done this past week, I finished a doily I've made before (in fact, one of the doilies I gave my friend yesterday was a version I had previously made in a solid color):

I wasn't too sure about this as I crocheted it, but blocked, I kind of like this two-toned version of "Dawnglow" done in Salmon and Ivory Peach.  Funny thing, though...  When I blocked it, I wanted to alternate making the scallops pointed and rounded. I had it all pinned out and I got to the last scallop and realized it wasn't going to alternate correctly. I studied the doily, counting the scallops, and compared it to the original and only then did I realize I finished this with one too few scallops.  Somewhere near the center I had goofed, but as hard as I tried, I could not figure out where the mistake happened. 

Truth be told, I'm glad I didn't realize the mistake before it was too late to correct it.  I had previously ripped out and redone the pineapple section of this doily because I didn't like the way I changed colors the first time.  If I had discovered that I didn't make the correct number of sections/scallops before sewing in all the thread ends, I would have been so disheartened.  And tempted to rip it all out and start all over again.  And what a needless thing that would have been.  As is, I have a nicely finished doily, and maybe...  maybe I'll make it again in another color being sure it ends with twelve sections so I can do a pretty alternate points and scallops blocking.  

~~~~~

And with this wonderful cooler weather I decided to try to finish the Granny Goes Large I started last autumn.  If I focus, I might be able to finish it this week.  

As I near the end, I'm trying to decide if I should do a border in yellow/gold or in a medium tan/brown/cinnamon color called tobacco. Opinions?

Doilies could use a new name...

Actually, I think doilies need a complete rebranding.  I like to think I'm contributing to that end, but it seems many remain confused that doilies are still a thing.  I think it's safe to say they're not the same thing as doilies of the past.  Doilies today can be made in the most beautiful colors.  And tucked into places that (I think) should delight the eyes of those lucky enough to discover them.  

Yes...  like their forerunners, today's doilies may end up in thrift stores and flea markets eventually, but I am confident that some creative souls will swoop them up and find new ways to use them, or upcycle them.

So I continue to contribute toward that possibility!

From the book, 99 Little Doilies, I completed Doily #47:

Or Cobblestone Patio

And here is Peony Doily that I showed a peek of last week:

I took inspiration from a crocheter on Ravelry for my colors, but here's a link for fellow Ravelry members to the original doily.  Made in one color, it's nearly unrecognizable from mine.

~~~~~

Just a few of the beautiful colored cotton threads I own - make me itch to stitch up at least a few more before the fascination wanes (temporarily) again.

Enter at your own risk...

Somehow I pulled myself away from making colorful dishcloths long enough to run some crochet thread through my fingers and start dreaming of making doilies or something filet crochet.  The earlier spell was broken, only to be replaced by another, I'm thinking.  Even though I love it, I don't fully understand the draw of thread crochet, but it seems to coincide with the temperatures rising and it being too warm to sit and crochet a heavy blanket (which I have waiting in a basket to be finished).  Pulling out some pretty colors of crochet thread, I began looking through patterns and finally decided on making at least one spring-colored doily.  

It's nearly finished, so I imagine I'll have it (and possibly others) blocked and ready to show by next week.

The weather here is all over the place, and so it seems is my focus and attention.  Eighty degree days last week, and now we have a nice little stretch of cooler weather.  There's even a chance of a freeze tonight, Hub just told me.  A couple of weeks ago I planted some cool-weather vegetable seeds in the garden, but I suspect it's going to warm up to the point here quickly where those may not do so well.  A week ago, I planted some tomato and pepper seeds directly into the ground as an experiment.  Normally I would shop for these plants to transplant into my garden, but if I'm in no hurry, I don't see why those things shouldn't grow and produce before the end of summer.  We'll see.  If things don't look promising soon, I can always buy some small plants come May...

On another end of things, I've gotten myself into the predicament that too many crafty ideas are calling me.  It starts out as pleasurably thinking about such things until I suddenly have a nagging list of things I want to do.  Crochet, knitting, sewing, quilting, embroidery, paper crafts...

I don't know when I thought I'd ever get around to the 30-Day Sketchbook Project (book) I gave myself for Christmas!

It doesn't help that the rest of the garden is calling, and I have visions of summer squash and green beans dancing in my head.  And weeds are proliferating everywhere.  And strawberries will surely be producing within a few weeks. Though, if it frosts tonight, the strawberry blossoms may get toasted.  That doesn't feel like an entirely bad thing right now.

And then there are things literally piling up.  In the office I'm sitting in, stacks of various themes are nagging me to deal with them.

And I'm remembering right at this moment I need to get my hair cut...

Sigh.

This will pass, I know.  I need to take one thing at a time, and it will all eventually get done.  Or not.  And if not, there'll be another season to tackle these things.

Except, I really should get my hair cut.

And, by the way... I turned a year older on Saturday.  That could also have something to do with feeling tugged in too many directions.  It was a good, slow day spent with family.  We celebrated three different April birthdays.  Oldest son's (37) mine (67), and Hub's (72).  We enjoyed lunch at a Peruvian sandwich spot, then back to two sons' apartment where we opened gifts, and learned a new game (which was one of my gifts).

And today I woke up feeling like the year is speeding by again. I want to slow things down so badly.  Then as I'm driving to church, hubs having left earlier, sends me a text that our dear elderly friend, Jack, had spent yesterday in the hospital, and would I be able to go and keep him company for a few hours? Of course!  

Turning the car around, I went back home first to get some food items to possibly coax Jack to eat something. He has not been eating much at all lately - even before this.

At Jack's house, I put the food items in the fridge and we sat and talked for a bit.  It probably helped that I could say I hadn't eaten when I asked if he was hungry, and would he like some food. I was happily surprised he said yes.  Minutes later we were eating ham and eggs, and then a jello and yogurt "treat" I'd made a couple of days ago - I think Jack ate more food in that one setting than he's eaten most days in months.  

Precious time spent with Jack, who's 95, soon to be 96, helps to put everything in perspective.  Having just had a birthday, I don't imagine I'll make to 90, let alone 95.  Our days on earth are short. Our relationships precious.  And I enjoy slow, solitary hobbies. Meshing all of that can make for desperate feelings sometimes of getting everything in that I love.

Oddly, I think that's one of the benefits of crochet and knitting (actually all my hobbies).  When I give in to the pull, these handcrafts cause me to just sit and do a thing that can only be done so fast.  Thread crochet is particularly slow, and I think it helps somehow to settle my sense of desperation of time whizzing by.  Even though I'm aware of time disappearing as I'm doing something fairly frivolous.

And on it goes.  

Do you get into these uncomfortable states of mind - where the busy and good needs of life conflict with the pull of slowly creating things?  They feel like polar opposite values to me, and yet, they are both very much part of who I am.

Are you sorry you popped in here today to be taken on the merry-go-round that is my mind at the moment?

I can't seem to stop...

After discovering the moss-stitch granny square pattern for making dishcloths, I've been a bit obsessed with making them.

Last week, I admitted to my perfectionistic tendency of going to the effort to make the colors go round and round in an attractive order, instead of just letting the colors land (and worse, pool) where they may when using variegated or striped yarn.  Which meant a lot of snipping and magic-knotting to make that happen.  

Why, I asked myself, am I not diving into all my colorful scraps of cotton yarn for this?  

So, I did!  

And I fell even more in love with making these crazy cloths.

So much so, that for the last two weeks, I've completely abandoned any other creative endeavor.  

I don't imagine my readers will be as endlessly amused with these cloths as long as I may be amused making them, so this might (maybe...  I don't know...) be the last post where I show these.

Okay, maybe not...

Here, again, is the tutorial I used for the first one:

After making one (maybe two) cloths, the tutorial will be unnecessary.  In fact, the stitch marker suggested at the beginning is unnecessary in my opinion, but someone may find it helpful.  The only thing I think she doesn't address is the magic knot.  I just magic knot right at the spot where one round ends and the other begins.  Perfection isn't required here.

Here are two short videos demonstrating the magic knot:

The way I do it:

If you, say... like to wear a belt with your suspenders, you may be more comfortable with this way:

I have found that in picking out my color combinations, starting with a variegated yarn that has some white in it, works well.  I think the pops of white keeps these lighthearted.  Then just pull together five or so colors that play well with each other. Crochet them up in any order, or be very deliberate in your color placement.  It doesn't seem to matter.

I suppose it's possible that one day I'll make one that I dislike, but so far...  not a single one is a loser.

Last week, and this, I am sure is just the beginning:

These can be made any size. I happen to like my dishcloths on the small size (6 1/2 - 7 inches square) because they stretch out when wet (though these stretch much less than knitted cloths).  I'll come back and edit this if my preference changes after washing some of these several times.

Hopefully soon, I'll be showing other crafty things again, but I'm pretty sure these cloths will remain a relaxing fun project that continues in the background.  

Yep.  I could be at this for a while...