I wiped away the weeds & foam. / I fetched my sea-born treasures home... Ralph Waldo Emerson







Monday, April 18, 2016

Sunny Days

Hi everyone! Hooray, hooray, we finally had a warm sunny day!
Mo and I saw neighbors in shorts and flip flops, carrying their beach chairs; one guy was barefoot and in shorts, towing his little surf fishing wagon. In the village, the pubs and cafes were doing a booming brunch/lunch  business---on a Monday!, all the sidewalk tables filled with smiling people. I think everyone has skipped spring and gone right on to Summer.


Mo and I saw our first robin!
I feel like the groundhog though. I'm awake and peeking carefully out at this new world, wondering if it's all an illusion and we're in for six more weeks of winter?


The other day my friend L(Elle) and I drove up the island to the big Lowe's---ostensibly to buy light bulbs and tubs of pansies for our front doorways. But really that was just an excuse for the lovely drive up the parkway.




As we go further north, into the main body of Long Island, the weather quickly turns much warmer. And here's what we came to see---this old highway is densely planted with forsythia. So beautiful, so happy, like sunshine in bloom.










Lowe's had lovely flowers. I think these are ranunculas, but to me they are exotic poppies.






The pansies were a little wilty but I got a small bowl of mixed funny faces for my deck. It's always so hard to choose. And I love the violas too.



I had to do some clipping of the plants, which inspired this pretty little vignette: an old cobalt vial, Coalport porcelain pansies, and Mrs. Tiggywinkle, in honor of my groundhog/ hedgehog imaginings. [she's my fave, though I always love Mrs Tittlemouse too, and the little mousie on the thread spool, from? Tailor of Gloucester? Beatrix Potter story books.]








I love how detailed the original illustrations were, and how well the paintings have translated to the figures. See the little brown dots on her head? Those are Mrs. T's hedgehog spines sticking out through her white mobcap! So cute.





...
Yesterday, Sunday, was the first flea. It was mobbed!
My usual method is to first walk through through a market rather quickly, scanning for hopeful booths and favorite sellers. [I then go again, slowly and look at all, maybe then a third time to rummage in junk bins...]. But the market was far too crowded to walk and look, and actually too crowded to really enjoy. It was also the market that has the unfortunate vendors like sock dealers, mounds of VCR tapes and old superhero dolls, tools, comics, and weird things like the new baby stroller seller. Antiques were few.


The flea market pansies were much nicer than Lowe's, too bad. Maybe next week...






I was exhausted by the hustle-bustle and left after one go-'round.


You know it's spring when you can't get home because the bridges are up. Three! Maybe a record for a Sunday noon.








This bridge I've never seen opened, as far as I recall, not ever. I'm not thrilled to be on the bridge over the water with only the low guardrail either, but part of my world.


I won't complain, the view is lovely, the other drivers patient. Look at that turquoise water!





Today Mo and I spent a sunny hour on the deck, sewing Dots. They just keep piling up, don't they.



And Mo had a fun and exhausting playdate!  His new friends are Reilly and Brady, the chocolate Lab sisters.





Tomorrow my doll quilt goes in the mail, I hope it pleases its new owner, all the way across the country, in, I think, Oregon, or Washington.


Have a wonderful week, full of sunshine and love!



love

lizzy

gone to the beach....





8 comments:

  1. So nice to see the sky and the water bright blue. We are having some lovely sunny and warm weather. I hope it lasts - Winter will be all the shorter.

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  2. Love all the forsythia along the highway! I've found that the big box stores don't do a very good job keeping their flowers in good shape, smaller places do a lot better. I wouldn't want to be sitting on the bridge, either - funny how it seems worse when you're just sitting there! Loved your little 'still life' and your little quilts, and happy to hear you and Mo got out to enjoy some nice weather! Too bad the flea was so crowded, hopefully the next one won't be quite so bad!

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    Replies
    1. Oh yeah, Costco always has a load of sad dead plants, makes me sad. But I expect better from Lowe's, they re a garden store!

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  3. Good weather brings everyone out. Already getting just about too hot here for morning walks, unless I start going extra early. We've gotten up into the 90s already. Not looking forward to the extreme heat at all. Mo looks very comfy. Nice to see he's made some new friends. :)

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  4. Ah, spring has sprung! I love the bright colors of forsythia. What garden zone are you considered in? We are in Zone 5- maybe I need to get a pot of plants for my porch.

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  5. What a lovely drive. Really pretty scenery for you. I'm not sure I ever thought about the bridges in your area needing to be raised...I guess it shouldn't surprise me.

    Love pansys, they are a happy little flower.

    That is THE cutest dot!

    Thanks for sharing, enjoy the week.

    Kel

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    Replies
    1. Hi! Oh yes, the raised bridges are a big part of traffic life here. They can be a little scary, as sometimes people are not aware that they raise, or not paying attention. One of my friends was rear-ended by a guy who was like, What? Why were you stopped here in the middle of nowhere? And another recent accident plowed the front car right into the raised bridge! Not to mention how leisurely the bridges open and close, at least 10 minutes or more wasted.

      The so cute Dot is I think Easter! So you know I am as usual, behind.

      Have a great week too, Kel.

      lizzy

      Delete
  6. Hi! Oh yes, the raised bridges are a big part of traffic life here. They can be a little scary, as sometimes people are not aware that they raise, or not paying attention. One of my friends was rear-ended by a guy who was like, What? Why were you stopped here in the middle of nowhere? And another recent accident plowed the front car right into the raised bridge! Not to mention how leisurely the bridges open and close, at least 10 minutes or more wasted.

    The so cute Dot is I think Easter! So you know I am as usual, behind.

    Have a great week too, Kel.

    lizzy

    ReplyDelete

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