spring has sprung

Every where you look these days, there is a flowering shrub or tree beginning to leaf out. Good bye shades of brown and tan! Hello, yellow pollen. Paper says juniper, maple and elm are the main culprits for the medium to high pollen counts.

I really enjoyed my trip to town this past Tuesday through the old established neighborhoods. Dogwood trees and their white canopy of blossoms are everywhere along with wisteria dripping down in other spots. I saw quite a few flowering cheery trees too with just the lightest hint of pink.


Some had irises in bloom but it might be a little early for most of the azaleas---including ours above. If you look closely you will spot a hint of red. Our lupines are up as well but I forgot to snap a shot of them.


The neighbor's dogwood tree is at right. I happen to know that this is a native dogwood that "came from Cheeha Mountain" He told DJ that when we were struggling to grow a succession of dogwoods of our own. I didn't think you were supposed to take things like plants from state parks but maybe it was okay then?? We lost two pink ones and a white and gave up. The last one was the hardiest but it was no match for three drought years..





The camellia, our state flower, is out though maybe not as loaded with blossoms as it sometimes is. I took these pics on Tuesday and we can only hope that the light frost we had yesterday did not do a lot of damage to the bush.








And the lilac bush---not native to Alabama so DJ has to take care to augment the soil and fertilize it. We were not sure it was going to make it for a while this past winter but it looks like it is doing better than we thought. One azalea bush really DOES need to be replaced.

DJ was just out planting some cosmos seeds that came in the mail. We will see what happens with those, LOL.

Today there is rain in the forecast and possibly bad weather---hail and such. We under a tornado watch currently and DJ said that was predicted till Tuesday. So far it is just cooler, overcast and some sprinkles.

Me personally? I quilted three wall hangings of various sizes (2-22 x 43's giftie and welcome, 1-18 x 22 Spring) on Thursday. Friday while I was still in the mood to quilt I did one more a 42 inch square medallion quilt that my mom had made and gifted to me. I will have to do a little research to remember the correct name but it was a pattern she had gotten from Connecting Threads a few years back.

Now the binding blitz begins---first the giftie since the recipient has an early April date coming up. My plans are to do the four pieces I just quilted and the Daisy Chain queen sized quilt that has been waiting atop the armoire. Mom's wall hanging was also one that WAS in the stack but I have dealt with it. That just leaves one full sized quilt left that just needs 7 or 8 more blocks quilted and something done with the borders. I am gaining on it. Woohoo!