Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Gr-r-r-r-r-ray & Drizzly

 
I thought when the sun came out yesterday that we were done with the gloomies for a while but, nooooo, another Low pressure system slotted itself in right behind the one that left so we're in it again.  *sigh*  Looks like we're in it until Thursday when it's supposed to warm up, but since this coming weekend's Memorial Day weekend I don't have huge hopes for warm and dry days.



This Downy Woodpecker came for a drink before it swooped over to the suet feeder.  I've said it before, I know, but I love their tidy black and white feathers.


Hoping to attract some wrens to the mix I dug the fountain out of the garage this morning, gave it a scrub, then ran cleaning bleach through it for a little while before dumping out the suds and putting in plain water.  I'm thinking I'll duck into Fleet Farm later to get a new birdhouse for them since both of ours crapped out over the winter.  I saw one there for eight bucks a few weeks ago, I hope there's one left.


Helical Sock SOCK #2 is finished so I have two socks knitted from the same pattern.  They don't look the same, that's for danged sure, and I somehow managed to make the leg of #2 a full two inches longer.  Where was my mind?  Better yet, where was my tape measure?  The foot's a little longer because the foot of #1 is a little short.  I'm a big fan of the colors of #2, more than #1 but I like them both and will wear them both.  They're socks, not art.  I'm kind of stumped about what to knit next so I think I'll work on WIPs and charity knitting until inspiration strikes.
 
The lilies of the valley are very slowly blooming.  All this chilly weather's slowing them down, I'm sure of it.  I wonder if the big patch of them is still there under the spruce tree that was in front of Grandma Stephan's house.  I wonder if the tree's even there.

May 23--Delft, Holland, Delft Barber's Bowl imitating Chinese porcelain style.  Earl picked up the brightly decorated bowl with the section scooped out of the rim.  The shopkeeper glanced up.  "It's a barber's bowl," he said.  "That cut out part curves around the neck under the chin when you get a shave."  Earl imagined the bowl with water and shaving foam in it, resting in his hands while a guy scraped off his whiskers with a straight razor.  He didn't think he'd enjoy that.  The mark on the bottom said "Delft" with a blue windmill.  He said, "I thought all Delftware was blue on white."  The shopkeeper shook his head.  "This one imitates Chinese export porcelain but it's earthenware."  He grinned.  "Maybe all those bright colors hid any blood."  Earl put the bowl down and moved on.

Well, poo.  I had a lunch date with an out-of-town friend today that just got cancelled.  I can't be too disappointed because her dad's in rehab here after getting a pacemaker and hurting himself in a fall so it's understandable that he needs her attention first but I even combed my hair and put on a nice scarf.  Oh well, I'll just sashay around Fleet Farm looking good--for once.  And from there I can go someplace for a few more flowers because I want to plant one more pot for the patio.  Don't worry about me, I'll be fine.
--Barbara

1 comment:

Aunt B said...

I think that big tree is still out there in front of the Cave Avenue house. I always loved those lilies of the valley under there too. Remember thinking it was a fairy garden when I was a little girl. Hope you get a wren couple to add to the bird population in your back yard.