Memorial quilt begun

Last night, I began cutting up James' flannel shirts in preparation for making his memorial quilt. 

Maybe this is why I haven't been able to make anything else lately.  It's time for this to begin.

Slow down !

Spring took FOREVER to get here, and now it's moving way too fast.  Soon, most of the perennials will have finished blooming, but I have a few more pictures to share today.

Volunteer Coreopsis have come up along the discarded phone pole.  Love that !

A red Lily shows up underneath the mailbox.

This is the pink Coneflower that I bought at end of season last year.  It's planted in the bed along the front sidewalk.

The Delphinium are blooming up against the Rose of Sharon bush.

No news on the quilting front.  I seem to have 'quilters' block'.  Hope it passes soon !   Being retired makes for long boring days !   But Walmart proved faithful and is paying me my paid-time-off, and my 'myshare bonus' on a check this week.  I figured I'd have to wait longer than this.

I didn't file a workman's comp claim for my hurting wrist, and am praying that rest and the LORD's mercy will restore it.

We enjoyed a visit from my sister's husband (widowed in October of last year) this week.  He drove out to the east coast from California.

Unwelcome visitors

Twice in the same week !

First, about 3 days ago, I see this one crawing ACROSS MY FRONT YARD !   I follow him, videotaping on my phone, and he disappears underneath my back deck.

Then, today, while attempting to transplant a few volunteer Blackeyed Susans, I nearly step on this one.  He was lying just over my boundary line in the backyard of the next door (unoccupied) property.

I don't know if this is two separate snakes, or the same snake seen twice, but I'm not loving it !

Spring Gardening, 2018

I haven't been keeping up with much quilting, but, praise God, thanks to perennials, the garden goes on!

Here are a few pictures from this morning.  Warning,.....there are LOTS of Daisies !   Years ago, I stopped alongside a country road and dug up a few clusters of Daisies that were growing wild.  I moved them when I moved to this place, and they continue to grow and spread.  I have to make myself mow them sometimes, but this one patch that I leave out by my shade garden is becoming my 'field of Daisies', and I love it.   I guess it'll be more of a daisy patch, but that's fine.  It makes me smile.

These Salvia beside the front porch are really 'givers', just showing out every Spring ! 

And I have quite a few Sweet Williams plants scattered all around the place.  I love how they come up in different colors within the same little patch.

There's a double Knockout Rose at the entrance of the driveway, and a little birdhouse, in the shape of a little travel trailer, adorning the address sign.

 My Coreopsis (yellow) didn't do much last year, but I took the time to spread it's seed afterwards, and they came back wonderfully this year.  That golden touch is so refreshing and eye-catching !

Out in the shade garden, the Spiderwort is slowing spreading itself with new little bunches here and there.  I love that, as long as it doesnt just take over !  I sprinkled it with Blood Meal when it first started coming in again this Spring, and even kindo 'tented' branches over the clumps, to keep the deer away.   Oh how they love the new green sprouts !   Probably like we look forward to our first garden tomato of the year. 

Well, MAYBE I'm back !

The big news is that I"VE RETIRED ! 

That's a fancy way for saying that I had to resign my stocking job at Walmart !   I drove myself hard for a full year, and it took a toll on my knees, hips, and most recently, my left wrist.  I just couldn't keep doing that kind of damage to this old, 60-yr.-old body of mine.  I have no desire to undergo surgeries for new parts, or reconditioned old ones ! 

So,........maybe I'll get reaquainted with my old Singer .  I've already been doing a bit of catch-up work on the flowerbeds. 

Anyway........no photo today, but I hope that you'll welcome me back !   More changes..........I guess that's life, huh?