Out and About ~ May Rushes By

Hi everyone! And welcome to new readers and commenters.

from Penny in SA, a morning cappuccino

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The past two days here have been oddly summery, not really warm but that balmy softness of summer has permeated the air. Is it vestiges of Storm Arthur, his outer reaches, bringing us tropical air? This afternoon the wind really picked up, bouncing the tiny green leafed branches of the ugly locust tree. Again it looked like June or July---but when Mo and I went for his dinner walk, I found the wind howling from the east [rare] and very nippy again.

Over the past week I've worn shorts and flip flops and layers including blizzard weight down parka and wind pants over sweatpants, wool socks and boots, and every choice in between. You just never know. And when it's cold but there's a late 830 sunset, I find  my inner clock very confused---feels like 3 PM in November but is 9 PM in May. What's a girl and her doggy to do?

Mo and  of course go for our walks. We are finding bits of spring, like the aforementioned tiny leaves on the trees. I always loved the  traditional legend, that Native Americans knew to plant their corn when the leaves on the trees were the size of a squirrel's ear.

More Van Gogh iris. Now is their big bloom time. The blue is very hardy here.

Below, one of Van Gogh's Iris series, glorious color. I put a link at the end of the post if you wish to see more of his iris paintings.





And in the beach lane one day we got a rare glimpse into someone's slightly open grey wooden gate. Yes, we peeked.

On the back of the door was a  heart shaped planter, wood and tin. Lovely! I have one similar, to try this idea?

Late fancy tulips.

Grape hyacinth, the tiny bells are such a beautiful blue.

Lilacs in bloom, despite the chilly days.

I still do not have the nerve to pick up treasures. I always forget an extra bag. Many round shapes have caught my eye, washers mostly, but also a gold coin and a gold hoop earring.

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Meanwhile I stopped working on Baby Pineapples because I was hemming pants for a friend.She is always there for me if I need her, so I am happy to help. But it was hard, my machines are set up for cotton piecing; high tech stretchy sportswear fabric was a challenge. A typical virus annoyance, for her---no tailors open, no drycleaners, to fix her spring pants! We rely on our small businesses far more than we realize, I think.
As I did the sewing I had time to think about the bright mustard and blue Blackbirds quilt.

I tried to recut the long rectangular block with the velvet star, and still couldn't find sections to easily cut or even piece to create the needed 9 x 15" background. The J Crew blouse had cut darts, princess seams and was a size 0. Discouraging.

Then I had a eureka moment.
I was making When the Wild Geese Fly, in bright mustard yellow instead of cheddar.

But no! Wrong wrong wrong.

The idea of this quilt is a Winter quilt...an early sunset on a grey day when everything is dark--brown fields, black branches,  indigo shadows and grayness; that odd white sun [I was set on the wrong track by the idea of ''the sun must be yellow'']---with, who knows, maybe a hint of palest barely there pink? Long wavy skeins of geese and winter ducks silhouetted in the last cold breaths of the sun.The blackbirds who do not migrate  [crows, starlings?] that feed at sunset on the frozen marshes.

That is what I want this quilt to convey.

I put the blue velvet stars away for now. They will become something, someday. I am so glad I caught my wrong path in time and rethought this project.

Another project for a friend, my grocery shopper. We both love batiks. Prices tho are sky high, two  30" pillow zippers cost 25.oo, wow. And batiks are running around 12.oo a yard.

Mo wore his earflap hat tonight for his walk in the 35 mph cold wind.  But no coat.

I hope your week is good!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.....

beach pictures today from Penny's daughter Nicky in South Africa; isn't this beach amazing! Umhlanga beach, South Africa.

Note the ships lined up on the horizon, just like mine, a world away.

and from Kelley in Southern California. This was the Pink Super Moon a few weeks ago,with the stately blue heron standing in the moon's reflected path. .

***more on Van Gogh's many iris paintings, over 100! The lesser known paintings are quite fabulous and beautiful, worth a look: HERE

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What we call a ''clear'' storm, high winds, sunny skies, huge waves:

"High Surf Advisory issued May 19 at 9:08PM EDT until May 20 
at 6:00 PM EDT 
...REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT WEDNESDAY...
* WHAT...Large breaking waves of 6 to 8 feet in the surf zone.
* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions andlocalized beach erosion.
A High Surf Advisory means that high surf will affect beaches in theadvisory area, producing rip currents and localized beach erosion.
..............................................................I hope the nesting birds are okay!

Garden Peeping

Good afternoon! Mo and I have admitted defeat and are spending some afternoon hours in the cool house.

It's too bad! Gorgeous, perfect summer day, but too hot for Mo.

Pugs cannot easily regulate their body temps and aren't very aware of getting overheated either. And, as I resewed my Baskets of Flowers' blue flowers, for the third time, I have to admit the sweat rolling down my face made afternoon sewing hour not much fun.

Summer comes late to the beach! It will be hot, but maybe not this hot, so we'll hope for many more productive days ahead.

Our big walks are now mornings and after dark. Of course garden peeking is a must, as everyone's gardens reach their prime about now. Below, the beach path, is ever changing, cool and shady.

Not a great year for hydrangeas, but this old-fashioned white [turns bronzey pink in Octorber] has been doing well in many gardens.

I love this unusual deep  purple periwinkle.

 More usual periwinkle colors....

This person has gone neon! So pretty.

The twining arms of the morning glories reach out at night to brush our faces. What is their secret message? Can never quite hear.

 This is the shrub with the bright purple  ''Styrofoam" berries. I've watched all summer to see what the flowers look like.

Lovely bee balm, a perennial. Next year for my deck garden?

Public spaces are pretty too. This garden mimics a prairie setting.

Blue and yellow, classic color scheme.

I was so dubious when the local gardening committee set out the beds in May, with ugly spindly single shoots, set 6" apart. But , wow! success indeed.

Our usual big dinnertime walk is now shortened to a walk across the street to water my friends' tropical pots.

[yes, they have tropicals, they couldn't resist or stick to the  landscaper's design of roses and hydrangeas, lol].

The landscaped beds are irrigated but Mo and I water the banana tree, the cannas, the New Guinea impatiens every day. I do the work, Mo supervises.

Enjoy the last days of August! Too soon we will have snow. Blog friends Lori and Kit, out west, had 40* nights already, can you imagine that.

I like snow, mommy?

PS Dragonfly Migration info here, though if you're interested there is a lot online, just Google for more.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....