New Look

March 7, 2010

Spring's First Delight

Mother Nature finally started to think about Spring this week.  The temps got to over 50F today I took the first motorcycle ride of the season.  It was cold at first...just barely over 50 but as the day progressed it was closer to 60.  Such a delight....the sounds and smells of Spring.  There were bird calls, swans swimming in a little pond, turkeys that flew across the road and the smell of earth.  When I got back I decided it was time to check on the Erosion Project.  It is still hanging in the Cherry tree by it's thin silk threads. 
 
Unfortunately, it was still very white and pristine looking until I looked on the bottom.  


Ah, that's better.....and a visitor, too.  It was dry but we expect rain by the end of the week.  It is cheating if I water it?  
I also looked at the tree house.  Although this was originally hung as a *bird* house there has never been a bird here.


However, there is at least one resident.....a flying squirrel.  Last year he shared the house with a small toad.  Go figure.  The squirrel is back, I'm not sure about the toad.  
There were also these signs of Spring....
 
Daffies push up the earliest in my garden.  This is the north side of the garden with the most sun and always the first to awaken in Spring.  
Eventually I returned indoors and worked on The Quilt. 
First I have Mariposa Lilies.  These are not found here on the East Coast/New England, at least I've not found them here.  But are plentiful in California especially in the Sierras. 

Yes, I did use blue silk with green felt and was not happy with the overall effect.  Too washed out.
 
But they are rather lacey and are easily overlooked when in singles or tiny groups.  They are dainty three petaled summer blooms that come in several colors. 


Next are Lupines.  I dearly love them and have planted several varieties in the yard.  The large deep violet one are the only ones that return year after year.  


These were difficult as the thread kept breaking.  I think the rayon thread was not wound well on the spool.  I changed the needle. the bobbin and the tension.  The white is mostly sewers pencil.  Even though these were set out petal by petal, it was hard to see where they needed to be defined while I sewed. 
I have two more....but I will save them for another post.  I need to be off to bed.  I counted how many squares were embroidered today.....15.  It's getting close to half way. 

6 comments:

Doreen G said...

The bundle looks great Joei--I checked mine a minute ago after 3 days rain and there is plenty of colour and a strange smell in one of them.
I think something has died in there....yuk.

gerfiles said...

I like the Lupines...
P.S. I think it might be cheating, sort of, to water the bundle...

Guzzisue said...

Biker ted has been busy buying tyres etc for the bikes so he can enter the round britain rally again. I will ride pillion for some trips but I have so many interests that my two wheeled adventures may be limited this year

ArtSparker said...

I actually like the piece you call washed out quite a bit- the faded quality amkes me work harder looking at it, and leaves open more possibilities as to what it could be - seen through a mist -

t said...

These flowers are so interesting. The detail and the contrasts good. I agree about the washed out blue and green.

xt

t said...

Just had another look. I love that detail in the silk and the roughness.

spring sounds like it is there, and autumn is here...

your erosion project is coming along.

xt