Gardening & Other WIPs

My wisteria is starting to flower. It is trained up the middle post and along the front of our covered pergola.

I have potted up the tomato plants into their final pots in the greenhouse. I am keeping an eye out for frosts! I lost most of my squash plants to a particularly sharp frost last month, so I have had to start again with some more seeds. Also in the greenhouse are aubergine plants, mizuna, lettuce, strawberries and some freshly sown dwarf and bolotto beans. The 3 new blueberry plants will soon go onto the patio.

Saturday we managed a trip to the allotment. Recently it has been too wet to work up there but now we have planted out the potatoes and the broad beans that I had grown in pots. The rhubarb is romping away - my freezer will be full of it.


Robin having his breakfast this morning.

The one that got away! I was so busy taking this Lily Beetle's photo that he took the opportunity to escape! There go my lilies!!

Other WIPs probably is the wrong title as I haven't even started these! I need to finish Fay's evening wrap before I start anything else. I am still only half way through it, only having completed 5 rows in the last 2 weeks, but I am going to be strict with myself and complete it before starting anything else. Anyone else out there with these good intentions? I used to work with someone who was fond if the saying " the way to hell is paved with good intentions".

Moving swiftly onto my planned WIPs ... on my recent trip to New York I visited Purl and Purl Patchwork and purchased this gorgeous Japanese silk yarn, to make into corsages. I'm not sure whether they will be knitted or crocheted.

Also this Japanese fabric to sew into summer skirts. I haven't done any dress-making for myself for many years, usually I make fancy dress and ballet costumes. Sorry about the creased state of the fabric, this is how it came out of my suitcase!Finally, some patchwork fabric for a forum quilt along.
I know I said finally but I also recently bought some wool to make knitted cupcakes! Talking of cupcakes I couldn't resist these whilst I was on holiday.

I'm not even going to mention my original WIPs - they haven't been finished either! I have recently changed my hours at work. I now work in the mornings and for an hour longer - I need to get myself into a new routine and then hopefully I will get some craft time.

Springtime in the Garden

Everyday a new flower is opening in the garden. I love this time of year, it's so full of the promise of longer, warmer days and the garden flourishes along with these.

Geranium Pheum

Snake's Head Fritillary

Forget-me-not

Wood Anenome

Spurge

Springtime In the Woods

Now that the days are growing longer we are taking the opportunity to get some exercise each evening with an hour long walk. As I have said before, we are so lucky to have lots of woodland, rich in fauna and flora in our village.

Wood Anenomes

Early Purple Orchid

Buttercup -possibly Goldilocks

Cherry Blossom

Bluebells

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Jumping Fish

Back Home Again

What a difference a week makes to the garden. The blossom has survived the snow and the tulips are out. Unfortunately the snow bent the stems of the daffodils.

We had a wonderful week away in New York but it is always good to come back home.

New York

Day 1

A wild and windy walk on a deserted Long Island beach.

With only the birds for company.

My romantic husband drawing hearts in the sand.

In the afternoon we visited the New York Botanical Garden.

We saw some different birds and beasts.

There was an amazing orchid show on in the conservatory.

Sansai Blue

Gardenia

Jade Vine

A legume that is often mistaken for an orchid.

Day 2

We took a bus into New York City and walked and walked and walked!

Time Square
Central Park St Patrick's

Grand Central

Chrysler Building





Lobby Ceiling

The Flatiron

And we finished the day by going to the Top of the Rock.



Day 3

My husband had to work today so I explored on my own. First stop were the 2 Purl shops in Soho, where I bought some silk yarn to knit with and some Japanese cotton material to sew into skirts.

The Empire State BuildingDay 4

On my own for the last time today, so I walked to the UN building.

Sculpture in the Peace Garden.

There was an excellent exhibition of cartoon drawings on the ground floor.

St. Barts.

The mosaics in the foyer of St. Barts are stunning.

In the afternoon I went up the Empire State Building. Visibility was 5 miles.

Day 5

We took the subway downtown to Manhattan.

The war memorial in front of the financial district.

The plan was to take the Liberty/Ellis Island ferry but the queue was 3 hours long! Instead we went on the Staten Island ferry which provided great views of the Statue of Liberty. The Stock Exchange.

City Hall.
The deli's in New York are justifiably famous. We often ate in them but today was so hot we had a take out. This was my dessert! Good job we were doing lots of walking!

Next we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Day 6

We took the subway again, this time to Soho where we found this amazing shop called Evolution that sells fossils, gem stones and bugs, including scorpions in lolly-pops!

One thing that was really noticeable about New York was how friendly everyone is, including the squirrels.

Iconic subway vent.

At about 3pm the mist descended.

The Rockefeller Building.

The Grace Building.

42nd Street.