It's beautiful! The flowers are just around the corner from our apartment and all over campus. And, finally, it's warm and breezy and we're finally getting some green.
On other notes, I just finished my first half-decent knitting project: a poncho. It's a clever design (two rectangles, with bottoms sewn to sides. You'll understand when I post a picture later). At any rate, because one is sewing bottoms to sides, there's this clever seam that hides it all:
I'm completely taken by it. It just makes such sense, and I'm not sure that I would have ever thought to hide a seam behind all of the bound off stitches (on the right). I love it. At any rate, now that I've finished my project, isn't it just so convenient that I won't be able to wear it now that the weather is perfect? I'm not sure if I should complain or not.
PONCHO!
OH. And I forgot to mention. "Finished" really only means that I've knitted and sewn it. I still have ALL of the fringe, and I like to tie knots in fringe, so there's all of those, too. Because fringe and weaving in ends are almost sorta not-really the best part about knitting / crochetting. Eh.
I love the flowers! And I'm learning what they are! (But not the ones on trees.) My botany class is so much fun right now since it involves taking walks in the woods looking for flowers, and the weather has been absolutely beautiful for it.
The magnolia tree (if my memory serves me correctly) is beautiful against the blue sky. Thanks, we don't have them in Phx. And oh by the way, your stitch tension is perfect. That comes with hours of knitting under your belt! I'd take the weather over the chance to wear the poncho. (Aren't the evenings still chilly??)
I have planted some seeds indoor with the hopes that they will actually grow and will be strong enuogh to survive the really dnse soil we have here. So far the corn and cucumbers are doing really ell. I'll need to clear a space for them in the back somewhere. The only thing that grows on its own are peas. And they are starting to come up too. I love spring.
Momma, the nights here are wonderful. Mendon and I went running... Tuesday night??? and it was just beautiful. We've been keeping our windows open as well. It cools down at night, but not much lower than 60 currently, which is something I'm not complaining about. :) The funny part is listening to the rest of the world complain about how "hot" it's getting. It cracks me up.
And Rae, Mendon planted some basil recently. In planting it, rather than, oh, say, spreading it out in the tiny pot, he threw half of the seeds all in one spot (and didn't plant the other half). It unusual to see 20 tiny basil sprouts all crowded into this one, finger-sized spot. :) I'll admit, I'm jealous of your ability to have a garden. I'm pretty sure it's best that I can't attempt to have one- I'd end up killing all of the plants with neglect or vicarious stress- but I do look forward to the day when I can. :)
I planted it all in one large pot and every seed grew! Eric made me plant the ones I took out as I was thinning. They didn't transplant well and were dead in hours- but I tried for his sake:) I'm not sure how thin to make them- but I have decided I'll go thin this time and if they flourish and seem to have more space I'll do differently next time.
When I went to the post office today I got stamps. THey were all out of the cute children's book ones and the guy said we have the love bird ones- which I got- oh, and we also have some vegetable ones. Thses were not on the poster. I supsect he offered them just to see if I would bite...to see if perhaps they would be a suitable replacement for the book stamps. I think he was a little suprised when I got excited and said I'd take them. It will make me just as happy to send out letters with veggies on them.
You will still have a few days or nights when the poncho will be handy I think. Your list of talents continues to grow and grow! Wunderbar!
Your tree is a beautiful magnolia with very healthy blooms and fresh ones still coming to open soon to replace the faders in a week or so.
I envy Hayley's walks in the woods looking for wildflowers. Ohio has such a large number of vigorous woodland flowering plants to see. I have been seeing them for many years when I go hunting throughout the year. Of course, I didn't get to do that last year. Still, our yard does look really nice again this spring. It is my favorite time of year in the yard.Our trees are just about to burst forth with leaves while some ornamentals are in a boisterous bloom in our neighborhood. Maman and I go for a mile walk each nite after dinner as long as the weather is okay. The sunsets are spectacular over the lake at the end of our street.
Hayley, my favorite places for flowers in the woods are in those little nooks in a wet area on a hidden bankside of a small rill where the sun pokes in just enough to allow some very special blooms to grow. Usually they are unnoticeable when you jump across the stream unless you stop to look behind you at the bank you just leapt across.
Kristen, you should plant in pots on a proch or in a window where the sun comes in your apartment at least three hours a day. Jade plants are fun and can get quite big to impress everyone. Aloe plants are nice and they are useful for cuts and abrasions and sunburn too.