Hearts

Every year these flowers take me by surprise. The plant dies back completely in the summer and there's no sign of life for months. Then spring arrives and the plant makes up for lost time. One day, just a few inches of green peeking above ground. The next, a mound of leafy fronds and hearts dangling daintily from arched branches.





How I love the surprises of spring!

Garden bounty

The garden is finally coming to life. Blossoms are replacing the green buds and it makes me so hopeful! Many years ago I planted several drifts of daffodils and I've never regretted the time spent doing so.



Their happy little faces put a smile on my face, too. What's blooming in your garden?

F is for frond

Palm frond, that is.



Oh, to be back where these grow in abundance. Sigh.

E is for excitement

We leave in just a few hours for our spring break trip. I shouldn't even have the computer on, but wanted to check in before we're gone awhile. We are all so excited to be heading toward sun, sand and swimming! It always amazes me that a day of travel can put you into a completely different climate (and frame of mind)!



Whatever we may have forgotten won't fit in the suitcase at this point, so away we go!

D is for Discover

I'm done with winter. It’s been too long since I’ve seen the uplifting colors of spring. I know the new season is just around the corner, but in the words of Veruca Salt, “I want it now!”

In search of some hopeful signs, I set out to discover what might be cropping up in my own yard . I was pleased to see some new arrivals on the landscape. Do you recognize them?






Daffodils, lamb's ear, day lilies and chives--oh my. I was so happy to see these little bits of green poking bravely through the ground. Spring's messengers have officially arrived!

C is for casting on

Starting a new project...ahh, the possibilities! A yummy yarn cake to start.



And then the fine, squishy yarn--good to be girl colorway by Yarntini--goes onto the size 0 needles.



Great TV knitting, coming right up!

B is for blue moon

Seems I only have an FO to show once in a blue moon. Well, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration. These are the first items to come off the needles in 2008, so I guess that makes them special. (No matter that the first sock was begun in 2007!)



Well, these actually ARE blue moon socks, knit in the Opal Der Blaue Mond colorway. I saw this yarn sometime last year on flickr and just had to have it. I love the colors and I know these will be spending lots of time on my feet this winter.



You'll notice these socks are nearly identical, which is something I don't normally try for. I actually enjoy the fraternal sock pairs I've knit. However, when the first sock came off the needles I was really happy with the placement of the dark colors on the cuff and heel, so I decided to try to match the second as closely as possible. I think it worked out pretty well. Mission accomplished!

Specs: Opal Der Blaue Mond yarn, 72 stitches knit on size 0 Addi circs. Garter rib stitch from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch

A is for amaryllis

I've been documenting the progress of this bulb over the past week or so. It's fascinating to see it change so much every day.






Three blooms have unfurled, with two more to come. I love the delicate pink.