Day 14

Can it be that the first rose of the year is already starting to bloom? And the first day of spring still two days away! 

Day 13: The Seamstress is In!

This afternoon I finally got my sewing station in my room all set up, on my very own sewing table! My room looks so complete with it there. I feel ready to sew all kinds of things! After getting the sewing machine set up I finally finished the shirt Becki and I were working on. (I plan on posting pictures of it tomorrow.) It definitely took longer than I had originally thought it would (the pattern did say "easy") but it turned out really cute, and my Mom said it looks professionally sewn. It feels good to hear that. I guess that's my reward for patience, and working with a difficult albeit lovely fabric. I must say though, I'm glad the shirt is finished and now I can move on to something new.

Next project: a dress! 

Day 12: Just in Time

I was worried I wouldn't get a post up today, but I made it. I haven't failed yet!

Quite honestly today has been a rather lousy day. Why? I don't quite know. The situation in Ukraine has us all worried. (If you're reading this, please pray for Ukraine.) Maybe there are some positive ions flying around. (With ions, negative is good, positive is bad. I can't remember why.)

Anyway, right now I'm pretty chipper. This evening we gathered in the tiki room theater and watched Winnie the Pooh, and Pooh Bear is always a good tonic for Grumpy.

How can you not smile with him?

Day 11: Soaking Up Spring

This afternoon the weather was too lovely to stay indoors. So after a walk through the garden, as I was ready to settle down with a quiet book on this peaceful Saturday, I took my novel of choice out with me onto the back deck. I settled down on a comfortable wicker couch and turned page after page, taking in each word, as a relaxed breeze played ethereal music on the wind chimes overhead.

I heard earlier today that it is supposed to grow cold again, before the spring months end, so I'm taking as much opportunity as I can to be outside soaking up all the deliciousness of a warm spring. This evening, after an early dinner, it was still warm enough for me to go outside again! I went straight to my vegetable garden. The raised beds were bare except for a dusting of weeds in one. One raised bed I had already weeded and tended some months before. The other stood sadly neglected. But the time for gardening is again upon us. Then and there I went to the garden shed, selected a few tools (a rake, a pitchfork, some gloves, etc.), and went to work. With the pitchfork I turned over the crusty upper dirt to reveal dark and rich soil underneath. Soon I will need to start buying seeds. I don't want to make the same mistake as last year which was to spontaneously want to start planting in July! This year I will be more careful with my planning. I'm going to devote a whole raised bed to squash. I love growing squash, and it did so poorly last year. I hope this year's crop is better, which means we'll need a good, hot summer. Spring has barely begun and already I'm thinking of summer!

Day 10: No Pictures Today

And, unfortunately, probably not many words either. I've had a long, busy day, productive but busy. I went over to Becki, my sewing teacher's house this morning to finish up that shirt I was working on. It turned out to be much more complicated than I had anticipated, but I've learned a lot. Now it's just about finished. There's only one more step to complete which will go quickly.

The other good news is I now have a sewing table all to myself so I can set the sewing machine up in my room permanently. No more borrowing the game table, hauling it up to my room, and setting everything up each time I want to sew.

But no more sewing for today. I am ready for the weekend.  

Day 9: A Perfect Place to Sit and Dream

Every day I look out the kitchen window and see the flowering crab apple tree in front of Briar Rose Cottage, growing more beautiful with each sunrise. The little bench encircling the base of the tree brings to mind L.M. Montgomery and all her young heroines, each of whom loved simply beautiful places like this. I can imagine Anne Shirley, or Emily, or Pat of Silverbush sitting under such a tree, with minds wandering into enchanted times and places. "There is such scope for the imagination," as Anne might have said.

Day 8

http://hbpsociety.blogspot.com/2014/03/teatime-snacks.html