Blooms, Big Bees & Failing Crochet 101

I went outside yesterday evening to get pictures of the spring blooms in the yard.   This is an Eastern Redbud tree and it is gorgeous.  Unfortunately the bees think so too.  Every time I tried to get closer for a better picture they buzzed my head and let me know they didn't appreciate my presence.   Don't ask me what kind of bees, cuz I don't know.  The kind of bees I run away from.  They were huge! (Not talking sweet little honeybees here.)     

The lilacs are in full bloom and their scent perfumes the air.

Don't look too close... I need to get out there and pull those weeds out of the creeping phlox and spread a new layer of mulch.    In a couple more weeks the spirea will burst out in masses of tiny white flowers.  The roses and russian sage will follow by June.

Sweet little wild violets growing in the shady parts of the yard.

Who's hiding under the lilacs?   Natasha Kitty!

And here is Katerina Kitty stretching out in the grass. 

Spring is perfectly beautiful! 

But apparently my crocheting (that I was so proud of yesterday) is not perfect.  At all.    I made up a practice square of single crochet.   It was hard, but by the 4th or  5th row I was moving right along, thinking I was doing pretty well.  Looks pretty good for a total beginner. (Except for some wonky edges from not figuring out where the first and last chain were. ) 

Patted myself on the back and decided it was time to learn the next stitch.  So I went back to  my instruction books  and to the computer to look at the you-tube instructions....  And.... that was when I realized that I HAD DONE THE ENTIRE SQUARE THE WRONG WAY!!!  I am not bringing my yarn over the crochet hook the right direction.  So this practice square of single crochet is not single crochet at all, but some  made up stitch from my own head.   What????    AGH!!!!!!!   I tried  to start a new piece so I could re-learn how to "yarn over" and I felt like a bumbling idiot with 5 thumbs in the way.  I just can't get it!  I just failed Crochet 101!!  How can this be so hard?    

I think I will let it sit for a day and come back tomorrow and start over.   Or maybe I will go back to quilting, or embroidery, or knitting.  Right now I just want to forget that there is a needlecraft that starts with the letter C.   

M is for Mazamas

M is for Mazamas.  

That means Mountain Goat.

And it is a group of Mountaineers.

My father was a member of this group for many years.   He was group leader on the climbs and also took part in many search and rescue parties.

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

 (Dad on the right.)   The group climbed Baker, Ruth and Shuksan on this expedition.   

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

(Daddy on the left.)   Dad and a climbing partner set off  from  Mt. Hood's Timberline Lodge  about midnight on  Friday, to climb up the western face and with plans to return by late Saturday afternoon.    Near the summit they were hit with a  blinding snow storm and had to  dig in right there on the slope and try to survive Saturday night on the mountain.  They had a few snacks, one sleeping bag (mummy bag) and the clothes on their backs.   When my Dad did not return Saturday night my grandparents alerted Mountain Rescue.   But because of the storm no one could go up. Everyone was afraid they were dead.   Sunday morning the rescue teams went up and found the two men just beginning to make their way down the mountain, cold and hungry but alive.  (Thankfully, or I wouldn't exist and wouldn't be telling this tale.)    

Mt. Hood.

(this picture is from the web)

During his Mazama years my father climbed Mt. Hood,  North, Middle and South Sisters,  Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Adams,  Mt. St. Helens,  Mt. Baker,  Mt. Shuksan ,  just about every peak, large or small in the Cascade Mountain Range except Rainier.   He also climbed in Mexico.  

Mt.  Shuksan

(this picture is from the web)

Mt. Adams

(this picture is from the web)

It's Alphabe-Thursday.  Come and see all the other M posts at Jenny Matlock's.

Finished!

I have finished the embroidered sampler!  Here are the final 4 squares:

Blue glass nesting hen

(Do you collect these hens too?)

Salmon  

(One of my favorite foods.)

Button jar.

Rose- The Fairy  

(Do you have one of these in your yard?)

And here is the whole thing.

Over the past couple of weeks I added to the blocks and borders that I thought were lacking a bit of umph,  and learned 2 more new stitches in the process.   So some of the squares look different than the original pictures I posted.   I may still tweak a thing or two.

Amy, this was so much fun!  Thanks for letting me join the group late!

Yay!  It's Friday!!   We are going out for Mexican food tonight.   And tomorrow my daughter and I are going to a bridal shower.   This is going to be a fun weekend!   Hope y'all have a happy weekend too!

L is for Lion

L is for Lion.

Several years ago a little lion cub was born at the zoo.  But something was wrong.  The cub needed medical help that the Veterinarian was not able to provide.   So the Veterinarian sought the help of a Neurosurgeon at a local hospital.

 (Family photos may not be borrowed or pinned.)

This is a picture of the little lion cub being fed a bottle by the Neurosurgeon who tried to help him.   He was my father-in-law.  (And the little boy is one of  Mr. Garden's brothers.)

Sadly, even though every effort was made to save the cub, he died.  :-(

It's Alphabe-Thursday.  Visit Jenny Matlock's to read all the L posts.

Storms Rumbling and Frogs Singing

We had another storm rumble through here tonight.   We knew it was coming because the sky started to turn dark and the frogs started to sing.   Yesterday morning we had some small hail.   All normal spring weather here.

Our Bradford Pear tree is in bloom.  Pee-ew!  (It looks beautiful, but does not smell good.)   The Eastern Red Bud is covered in purpley-pink blooms and the Lilac buds are about ready to burst!   I LOVE this time of year!

Four more blocks completed for  the embroidery challenge  , and only four more to go.  What am I going to do when this project is finished?  I need a new craft project to work on!!  Something portable, that I can take with me to craft club.  Quilting doesn't travel.

Black-Eyed Susans

Quilt block-  Bear Paws

Green vaseline depression glass plate

(Anybody besides me collect this?)

Jacaranda tree

Easter weekend

Hope everyone had a very happy Easter!   I have only been away from the computer and "blogland" for a couple of days, and it looks like I have some serious catch up reading to do.

Our kids were home for the weekend.  I helped my son get signed up for a summer class  and my daughter and I went shopping for a bridal shower gift.  

We had a wonderful, big, extended family gathering on Easter.  I wanted to show you the picture of the cheesecake.  I decided to just slice and sugar strawberries to spoon on top, instead of making an actual glaze.   (see the recipe here.)  Everyone in the family contributed 3 or 4 dishes to the big dinner, so no one had to do too much. Our kids are all older, but we still hold an egg hunt.  They have a lot of fun!

I did not have much time to work on the embroidery squares, but can catch up in the next day or two.
Now I'm off to read as many blog posts as I can before I head to bed.

Happy Easter!

Forsythia in bloom means that spring is finally here!   Just in time for Easter!

Three more blocks completed for the embroidered 39 squares challenge.   I only have 8 more to go.

Forget Me Nots

Pineapple

Lemon Meringue Pie

Happy Easter!  May God bless you all as you gather with family and friends in worship and celebration.

K Is For Konza Prairie

It's Alphabe-Thursday over at Jenny Matlock's.  Join us this week for posts on the letter K.

(image from the web)

K is for Konza Prairie located in the Flint Hills region of Kansas.   The 13 square miles of native tall grass prairie are jointly owned by the Nature Conservancy and Kansas State University and operated as a field research station.  A small herd of buffalo call Konza Prairie home.    Six miles of nature trails bring in hikers and the environmental education program makes it a popular place for school field trips.

Flowers growing among the grasses.