Spring ~ It's slow to get here!

 What a late spring this year.  Now we're mowing, but the trees are so slow to get their leaves, and some of my trees are now in flower.  The lilacs aren't blooming because we had frost so late and it nipped the buds so badly.  They look terrible.

So pretty, now it just needs to warm up.

Last night we had light frost, so I still haven't put out any annuals yet.  The only thing growing is the rhubarb.

It's huge!  I need to pick some of those big ones and get rid of them, and start pulling the good stock. Will be making some Rhubarb Cobbler - and then some strawberry-rhubarb jelly.  Don't know when I'm going to squeeze it in, we'll be having a lot of company for granddaughters graduation.  Daughter Steph, hubby  and her 4 dogs are coming for graduation.  Odda will be happy ~ she's kind of lonely.  Health wise, she is doing fine.  Still on her meds.  Looks like we have a couple weeks left and then I'm going to take her in for a recheck to make sure that the meds did their job.

Here is a picture of one of my bushes that didn't do well through the winter. 

I have two bushes looking like this - looks bad, and that brown never turns green again, and when you cut it out, it looks terrible.  Easier to just replace them.  Then there also was another bush that is bad too, but guess I didn't get a picture of that one.  I'm not sure if too much snow caused this or if somehow the reflection from the heat of the house caused it.  Like a sunburn.  

Had company last weekend and also will be getting more fishing relatives coming next week.  So have been busy, and will be busy.  That and just trying to get some things done have kept me away from computer projects.  Hope you all have a great Memorial weekend.  Remember our military!

Happy Saturday!

A beautiful day here in Minnesota!!!!!!!!!!   My yard is calling me by name - believe that or not!  But I have bookwork to do and continue on my crafting, and the yard is already raked, and it's too early to plant.  Altho, rhubarb is growing, and the trees are starting to bud.  

We are further behind in our growing season here in MN than my blogging friends out East, South & West!

 I was a good girl this morning and did take Odda on a mile walk after working with her off lead.  But she's not ready yet to do off lead for an outing down the road.    Did our walk early, and need to do that daily- we BOTH need the exercise.   Oh, I just hate to sweat or perspire!  And I don't have to exert my self much to be wringing wet.  I have ALWAYS been like that and I HATE it!  Even when I was thin.  (Hubby says, loose weight and you won't sweat as much!) Well, I am going to try to stick to it better and get daily walks in with Odda and Hooch.  No excuse - just do it - right?!?!

I have some new followers and I LOVE it!  Thanks everyone !   I also found out I have some followers that aren't bloggers.  That is great.   I love to hear what everyone thinks of what I'm making or doing. 

A few pictures of new pin cushions I made yesterday!

Isn't this little boot a cute pin cushion! 

A 1950 Lefton Cherub Bowl made a beautiful pin cushion.

Sakura China, Tango pattern cup & saucer.  Had two of these, so one has blue material and the other has green.

Made some other ones too.  Kept busy all day and evening as Steve was out of town, so I could have a mess and just leave it.  I did have it cleaned up by the time he got home at 1:30 am this morning.  You can tell by the pictures, which ones had sunlight coming in the window!  They're brighter.  Spose I could have fixed the photos, but too lazy for all that monkey business!

Wishing you all a great weekend!

Spring Mud!

Now that spring time has brought us MUD, we complain again!  Dah! Can't we ever be pleased with the weather?  We're all happy that it is starting to warm up and the snow is melting.

This is what we have left of snow.  Just remains of the hugh piles of snow.  Last night all the standing water finally soaked into the ground.  Here is what our yard looks like now where we drive in.   

I drove on the grassey area, and now I sure have made a mess!

This is usually where we park, and I had moved to the grassy area so I wouldn't have to step in mud!  The water soaked into the ground now, due the the rain helping to take the frost out of the ground.  Not all frost is gone, but the standing water sure left our yard. 

Now we need some sunshine to dry things up more, so we can level this area off and bring in more gravel!

Now to wash my car, and clean the inside.  The only trouble is, I'm sure we're not done with winter and snow yet.  March and April can still bring a lot of snow!

Have a great Sunday everyone!

So Tired of Winter!

We've had a beautiful winter, but I'm ready for spring!  Not the mud that I know will be around a couple of weeks, but for something green to grow!  I've been in a blogging rut, not knowing what to write about.  I'm busy every day, but it seems kind of boring.  Busy sewing, and nothing finished yet.  Had some computer problems, having to drive to Fargo two days in a row.  We did get a new car, bigger that the Rav4 we had.  The seats in the Rav4 weren't comfortable for hubby when driving very far.  When we'd gotten the Rav4, we'd downsized, so now we just upsized again!  The new SUV rides like a dream!  It will be great for our driving south to see kids. 

Just before my trip south, my Christmas Cactus started to bud.  Here are some pictures of the flowers on it now. 

There are more buds coming, so there will be some color on this plant for awhile!  Now why couldn't it flower at Christmas time?  I bought it last year from  Amanda (grand daughter) as they were selling them for a fund raiser for her high school choir before the holidays.  She brought it home to me when it was below zero, and the buds it had on it then, froze and fell off.  I was about to get rid of the plant before this Christmas, because I was thinking it was a lost cause to flower.  But patience prevailed!  Now it's a keeper, and I guess it will just flower when it is good and ready too!  Must be once a year that it flowers.   I really don't know too much about these plants; when will it flower again; and after the flowers drop or get pinched off do  I need to put it somewhere to rest; should it be replanted, or do they like to be root bound, etc.  I'll learn as I go.  Maybe I should find some info to read up on these plants.  It's been sitting in my sewing room all winter with  south filtered sun  coming through blinds that are pulled down.  Now I moved it to the living room so we can enjoy the flowering, but I;m wondering if that move may not be the best.  Now it will get filtered sun from the East.  Is that enough?   I will have to watch it closely and see.  I know that some people have had their Christmas Cactus plants for many years.  Hopefully I'll be able to keep this one without killing it too.

This is how I'll enjoy some green and color for awhile!

Have a Great Sunday!  It's a nice sunny day here and the temperture is in the low 20's.  The end of February, March coming in like a Lamb!  We can still get a lot of snow in this area through March and April, but hopefully, the temperatures won't go below zero any more.    Come on Spring!