The Spring Flower Show

 Hi everyone! This year I celebrated Easter with a visit with friends to the annual flower show.  It was busy verging on crowded but so beautiful after these relentlessly grey stormy days of Winter '24. I hope you'll enjoy a stroll through the show with me. click on any image to see a large image slide show  for details.

Gorgeous planters in the parking lots as we walked in.

I love the newly popular  hellebores, but didn't see them to buy.

Inside, entering the big greenhouses. note: that lady found a Pug pillow!?

Beautiful orchids by the check out lane.

Show theme seemed to be Festivals Around the World, so we have Day of the Dead, Oktoberfest, and others.

Tropical settings.

I was intrigued by these beautiful unknown fruits.

Water features. I always admire these immensely. So mush effort for a temporary installation. 

The new big fountain.

The waterfall and pond.

The river of India, with waterlily pond.

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Then a fave of mine, the Easter baskets. [I always get home and wish I'd bought one but for example this baskets, including tax, almost $100.oo!

I considered the darling Bunny, but his ears were sadly chipped.

Last, circling around through the For Purchase greenhouse:

Pansies: always unique rare varieties of pansies and violas. 

Seeds selection. You'll be seeing more of these as summer begins here in late June.

Nasturtiums and straw flowers at the request of blog friend Mel.

I treated myself to a small selection of the fancy violas. The blue is unusual because the petals are various shades of blue. The Yellow stripey ones are the Tiger Eyes we loved last year. The third a subtle old fashioned two tone. They were not marked for variety, I need to do some Google Plant Searching. These small pots are 5.99 each.

It was a bit hard to get good photos due to the crowds, and impossible to get close and read the posted signs explaining the theme and what the flowers are. But I love going every year, such a special experience.  

Official link here and brief ten seconds video Hick's Nursery Flower Show HERE

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On a weekend-y note: last week I made a beautiful asparagus tart. Better with puff pastry but the phyllo dough worked ok.

Caramelized sweet onions, layered with fresh asparagus, crumbled goat cheese on top.

No recipe so this package label was my cooking guide.

edit: Oh Look Martha made this tart too. Slightly diferent ingredients but good instructions!  HERE

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The wind is howling but the rain is gone. Off to walk Mo. [video from our wonderful dogwalker]

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.....

just now, note the huge storm waves:

And a few fun eclipse pics from friends.

From his outdoor office space in NYC. "Eclipse People" 

and from mybrother who was in a 100% area:

Bramble Berries (Blooms, Blossoms?) Bumbling Along here

 

Happy Friday! Welcome April. April is having lots of fun with April Fool pranks for everyone, weatherwise, isn't she? Earlier this week we had near hurricane force winds, a rare day when I kept Mo in at dinnertime. Sustained 55-60 mph winds are knock us off our feet force, in my judgment. Plus the blowing sand can injure Mo's buggy-puggy eyes. 

                                            

Then today midmorning an earthquake![and another just now]

We have earthquakes here now and then, it's not a huge deal, but the odd twisty sensation is discombobulating. Tho I thought it was a jackhammer or some other noisy repair]. We had an EQ once in Brooklyn where the doorways of our old loft seemed to be twisting; another here, the water sloshed out of the bathtub and sliding closet doors fell of their tracks. 

Boy I got dressed in a hurry.

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Bramble Blooms SAL  link HERE

Winter Marsh, Parsonsfield and Liberty Pumpkin all were sent off to Lori C. the Quilter, so the final weeks of March I designated as Focus on Bramble Berries time. I was way behind, though in my mind I knew/ know what I am planning.* Inspiration reminders, my artwork.

First, complete Part One--- sew down the central appliqué:

My machine is not good at this, but the wide edge margins are deliberate. 

As the project is washed and or used, the fraying edges can enhance the fringe-y parrot tulips' appearance. On completion the striped tulips will have black bugle bead stamens.

The pitcher is turned=edge hand applique, just to prove I do know how to do it! And I like the smooth curves of the blue jug contrasting with the ragged tulips.

Part two: I unearthed my collection of Kaffee Fassett fabrics, probably ten or 12 years old, but same as current. Lucky find! Love, love, love. It was like greeting old friends.

Then inner ''stop'' border. Just to frame the busy center. The purple and slate stripes are calming.

Late night photo auditions.

Much dithering over the wider border choice.

I don't have a big wall for a design board.  Probably just as well as the threads and mess would give me the heebie jeebies. Auditions get taped on the old blue cabinet doors , a leftover from when this tiny room was a home office and guest space.

 Other prompts were QST [quarter square triangles, means the block is cut into four wedges] as cornerstones plus applique motifs on this border. I just couldn't, cornerstones seemed too trad in this case, whare's the improv of that? Instead I inserted a handful of black and white QST blocks into the border.

I think it worked okay but I do not have modern graphiic black and white prints like I wanted, l;ike these.

I  couldn't afford to spend $50.oo for a few small blocks. I like the Beach Balls print though still like the Rainbow Striped Squares more. But too many stripes, too much red/ pink/ orange. The duller tones of he beachballs calms things down a bit maybe.

Then I needed to address the applique portion of the prompt (#2). Again much as I love them, I can't see cute lollipop flowers

or prim birdies working on the crazy kaleidoscope I have going here. Instead I resumed late night ponderings on that empty spot left center. It bothers me. I am thinking an appliqued leaf and a special to me ladybug button. 

Again, is that too cutesy? Trite? It wouldn't be added to the  proh=ject til it is done, so that can simmer. Though I do welcome your thoughts.

Prompt Three is to create a nine patch border. I have ideas... more late night bursts of imagination?

*I lied---I have no idea what this project is or will be. What are we making here? --a bedquilt,  a lapquilt,  a wall hanging, a learning textile of no practical point, what? Above I had the notion to make a bed scarf, a narrow quilted decorative piece that goes on top of more simple quilts. This might look really cute across the bed foot, on top of a red and white checkerboard or a Popsiclle squares one patch?

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Auditions for patchwork border next time. Hint: it won't be these fab vintage blocks, lost out on the eBay auction. Bummer....And they won't be on point squares because I don't like patchwork set on point.

 Link to Quilty Folk Improv Challenge SAL :Bramble Blooms   HERE

Have a great weekend! Remember not to look at the eclipse Monday.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.............