The Lambs Go Skipping Out

The lambs came March-ing in at the beginning of the month and the lambs are skipping out at the end of the month. We had a couple of days towards the end of the month that were considered lion days ... with some wet snow, a bit of wind and some rain.  But overall it was a lamb month. The skies on the last few days have been beautiful ... from clear blue during the day, to gorgeous sunsets at night and there was even a full moon.The temperature has been rising well up into the double digits. Did you know the full moon in March is sometimes called the Worm Moon?  The days are getting longer and warmer, hence the ground is warming up, and the worms start to wake up and poke out of the ground.  The worms leave little piles of castings and these help prepare the ground for new growth .  The birds, especially the robins like to peck the ground for worms too.Nature never ceases to amaze me. ©Crafty Gardener
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2sDay Gifts

It's 2sDay - the day when I post photos of things I have in twos.   It is a little different today as I am showing 2 different things that arrived at the same time.
It isn't animals, birds or flowers ... but yarn for the Crafty Side of me.

The first is two balls of yarn that Nicola sent me.  Recently she had a contest at her blog and I was the lucky person that guessed the right answer.  It's two 50 gram balls of elann pegasus yarn (cotton/viscose).  Now what will I knit with this lovely yarn?  If you like knittng you will enjoy a visit to Nicola's blog.

Along with the yarn came the most fabulous card.  It was two things in one so I figured I could stretch my 2sDay idea to include this.

Not only is it a card but it is also a pattern.  On the cover is a picture of a hat and printed inside is the pattern.  You can then fold out the instructions and leave your own message.  I've never seen cards like this but I will have to be on the look out for them as I have many knitting friends that would love to receive something like this.

  ©Crafty Gardener
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It's Happening ...

It's happening, it really is!  The garden is waking up.

The tulips are poking through the ground.

The honeysuckle vine is sending out new shoots.

There are some shoots appearing on the climbing rose.

The orange daylilies are at least a few centimeters above ground.

The hardy Egyptian Walking Onions are showing lots of green growth.

And the pussywillows are in bud.

 It is so exciting to walk around the garden exclaiming whenever I see something poking through the ground, or a shoot appearing on a bush or vine.  I'm sure over the next few days there will be lots of changes to the plants, shrubs and trees.
Spring is really here.  ©Crafty Gardener
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Elegant and Graceful

The weather was fabulous for the March Break from work. On a beautiful day I went for a stroll down by the bay and took some photographs of the mute swans.

 A pair of beautiful, graceful and elegant creatures makes their home on the bay.  They glide effortlessly around on the water, perhaps hoping that some of the trail walkers will toss a few crumbs into the water.  Many walkers stop to take photographs and admire their beauty. Mosaic Monday was created by The Little Red House. You are encouraged to create and share a mosaic/collage of some photos. Why don't you stop by and see what some other participants have created. Then try creating a mosaic photo of your own and join in the fun. 
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Scurry, Hop, Stuff

What's that scurrying around the yard, hopping up and down in the grass, and stuffing its cheeks with birdseed?

My camera lens captured some photos of the resident chipmunk,, out from the long winter sleep.

He's checking out all his favourite haunts ... like the long piece of pipe that we leave under the deck.  That is the escape tunnel from the cats.

Those cheeks look a little puffy so I imagine he has been scooping up the remants of seeds that fell from the feeders over the winter.
It is great to watch the chipmunks scurry and hop around the garden

(asked by Nikki-Ann - how long did I wait to get the photos)

I hardly had to wait any time at all to capture these photos.  I was standing by that part of the garden when there was a lot of scurrying around, I turned to look, and saw 2 chipmunks chasing each other.  As soon as they saw me, one hurried under the step and the other went inside the pipe.  I was already there, camera in hand, to snap the photos.

Check out other bloggers that carry cameras all the time and snap photos of Camera Critters.

 ©Crafty Gardener

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Clear Blue Skies

This week has been the March Break week from school so a vacation week from work for me.  I've taken the opportunity of the lovely spring-like weather to get out and enjoy myself.The skies have been clear blue andperfect for sky watching.

The view of the blue sky from the deck was gorgeous.

I spent a couple of days down by the bay enjoying the water, the fresh air, the water fowl and the scenery. This shot looks to the west from the trail and captures the Norris Whitney Bridge which connects Belleville to Prince Edward County.

This shot shows a little inlet with a pair of swans (more photos of them later) and a gull flying overhead.

If you love sky photos as much as I do be sure to check out the other participants in Sky Watch Friday. ©Crafty Gardener
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A man alone in the garden ...

If a man is alone in the garden and speaks, and there is no woman to hear him ... is he still wrong?    unknown source I saw this quote while visiting a local garden center.  It was printed on some garden signs that were available for purchase.  Was it written by a woman?  ©Crafty Gardener
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The Glorious Sounds of Spring

Yesterday that glorious sound of spring was in the air.  It was the sound of the large flocks of Canada Geese flying overhead and honking as they head to the north to the lakes.

 The sound compels me to stop what I am doing, rush outside (with camera in hand) and look towards the sky.

 It always takes a moment to focus on the sound and then the sight. The flight path seems to go right over the house.

Yesterday was the perfect spring day, with lovely warm temperatures and clear blue skies.Please don't let winter have its last hurrah!
©Crafty Gardener
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2sDay Friends

It's 2sDay - the day when I post photos of things I have captured in twos.  Today's photos are of some birds in the garden and the conversations they might of had.

Did you find anything good to eat on this lawn?

 

Is there a good view like from up there?

  ©Crafty Gardener
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The Lion Has Made an Appearance

Up until now we have had wonderful lamb days in March. But starting on the 12th the lion made an appearance.  First it just came creeping in with a bit of rain, but last night the lion roared at the windows as the wind picked up and it blew in lots of rain.  And this morning the lion tried to roaring again with some wet snow flakes.

The snow is trying to settle on the deck but I'm sure it won't last long ... please say it won't! I'm hoping the sun will make an appearance later today and chase the lion away.
We had two family birthdays on the 12th and 13th and there is always nasty weather of some sort.

Here is a bit of cheer to make me forget the weather.  I got a lovely plant from my friend for my birthday.  It's a heather called Erica.  Fittingly enough it came from my good friend Heather.
©Crafty Gardener
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Return of the Robins

 The robins have been back in our area for awhile now.  Most of the time I have just heard them chirping their songs.  But in the past week they have been very visible in the garden, pecking in the ground, splashing in the puddles, and searching out the perfect spot for the first nest.

The arrival of the robins means spring is just around the corner.

Check out other bloggers that carry cameras all the time and snap photos of Camera Critters.

©Crafty Gardener
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Sunset Skywatching

What a gorgeous first week of March we had.  There were beautiful clear skies, great views of the moon, and a gorgeous sunset on March 4th.

If you love sky photos as much as I do be sure to check out the other participants in Sky Watch Friday.

 ©Crafty Gardener
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Activity at the Birdhouse

With the gorgeous days we have been having there is lots of activity at the various birdhouses around the garden.  This one is visible from the dining room window and was the first birdhouse we put up.  It certainly needs a coat of paint but we just never get around to doing it.  Guess that is why we rent it out for cheep rent.

The sparrows have been very busy constructing their new nest.  And just look at the various items they have found.  My eye was drawn to the bit of colour and I'm wondering if it is some of my tiny scraps of yarn and embroidery floss that I toss out at this time of the year.  I sure would like to think that I've contributed something to the making of the nest.  I'll be looking forward to capturing some photos of the babies in a few weeks.

I came across this fairly new blog called Cheep Rooms, which is a place to share all the birdhouses you spot.  Why don't you stop by for a visit and maybe be tempted to join in sharing photos of birdhouses. ©Crafty Gardener
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Thud!!

No birds were hurt or damaged in creating this image

.

 It's a lovely sunny day and all of a sudden you hear that THUD against the window.  A bird has been trying to fly right through the glass.  I quickly go to the door and anxiously peer out.  Thank goodness I don't see any bird laying on the deck.But I do see the image of the bird on the glass.  The photo doesn't quite capture what I saw but I'm hoping you can see it too.

The mark of the body of the bird and the wing span is visible. The bird was no where to be found but I'm guessing it was a dove as there have been lots of them around.

©Crafty Gardener
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The Old Cattail

The Monday Mystery photo was of an old bullrush or cattail.  You can almost see the seeds ready to take off.  These photos were taken using the macro setting on my new Canon T1i camera.

 We have a good size clump of them that grow in the marshy area at the very back of the garden.
Over winter it had bent over and was just about touching the snow.  I discovered this one while walking around the garden on a gorgeous weekend.

The cold and age made it split open and the soft seeds are ready to disperse and travel to another area and perhaps put down some roots and grow into a new plant.  I'm always amazed at how much "fluff" is packed inside those cattails.  Cattails also quickly spread by rhizome roots.

I remember when our girls were young they used to love to cut them and bring them inside to put into a vase.  I dreaded them splitting open and 'sneezing' everywhere so I used to spray them with hairspray to keep them from opening up.

Thanks to everyone for playing along with the Monday Mystery.

 ©Crafty Gardener
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March Monday Mystery

Who can identify the  Monday Mystery photo?

©Crafty Gardener
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My Colourful Coverup

The Crafty Side of me has been busy again using up some scraps of embroidery thread.   The first time I made a Flossie bird, and this time I made myself a colourful camera strap to cover up the advertising so boldly added by the company.I've never been one to wear clothing that advertises a specific company.  You can very often find the same or similar item in a generic brand at a much lesser price.  So why would I walk around advertising a camera company.

I recently purchased a new Canon camera, and while I can't do anything about the brand name on the actual camera I can and did find a way to cover up the name on the strap.  Camera straps can also be a bit rough on the neck so this is a way of softening it up a bit.

I guesstimated (don't you just love neat words?) how many stitches were needed to wrap around the strap and worked a few rows in double crochet.  After measuring and readjusting a couple of times I got the right width.  From then on it was just continue in dc until I had the right length.  Then it was a quick row of joining to form the tube and then slipping it onto the strap.

 I'm hoping the bright colours don't scare the birds away ... but it just might attract more flossie birds.  And perhaps it will be a great conversation starter and I'll meet more photographers on my favourite walks down by the bay or out and about on my travels.  If you see someone with a colourful camera strap, please stop and say Hi, it just might be me. I've still got lots of embroidery thread left so I'm thinking about what to make next.  Do you have any suggestions for me?
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The Lambs come March-ing In

  If March comes in like a lamb it goes out like a lion. I think it is safe to say that March has arrived like a lamb in my part of Canada.  The storms from the end of February have faded into history - or moved to the East Coast.

 March came in with temperatures on the plus side of 0 Celsius and by this weekend they are expected to push up towards +8 Celsius and maybe even double digits.  Combine this with the chilly overnight temperatures and maple syrup time will soon be here.

We could perhaps expect some nasty weather at the end of the month if the old saying holds true.  But it will be just fine with me if the lion days bypass us altogether.

If you love sky photos as much as I do be sure to check out the other participants in Sky Watch Friday.
Labels:  Thursday Thoughts, sky ©Crafty Gardener
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A Rare Bird Sighting

It's spring and the birds are retuning to the garden.  I've seen and/or heard robins, cardinals, bluejays, sparrows, nuthatches, woodpeckers and more.
And look ... here is a rare bird sighting.

It's a ... ah ... um ... duh ... Flossie bird.

This bird isn't found in any birding book but you can catch a glimpse of it  at Attic 24. It was a fun and quick pattern to make up.  Of course I had to tweak it a bit and instead of using yarn I used embroidery floss.  I had recently been reading one of my favourite blogs by laughing purple goldfish.  I love reading her blog for some great ideas. (find the link on my sidebar) and recently she had mentioned using up bits and pieces of embroidery floss in crochet projects.I knew that I had lots of floss stashed away in the needlework basket.  I save them for small needlework projects or perhaps I save them because I just can't throw anything away.  And wouldn't it be just the same as using crochet thread, except it would be just a bit thicker and come in a variety of colours.  Well, now I've got a new way to use them up because I don't do much embroidery or needlework anymre. With spring coming I think I need some more flossie birds to hang in a tree.  I've also got another stash embroidery floss project on the go which I'll be showing you as soon as it is finished.
 How about you, have you ever done any crochet with embroidery thread? Labels:  crochet, stash ©Crafty Gardener
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