We had a thunder storm roll through this morning but it is sunny now, supposed to get quite warm over the weekend. The cool weather seems to have extended the season for the spring bulbs. These were starting to bloom a week ago today, told mother when she was here that they must have been waiting for her.
Yesterday morning I noticed a flash of yellow out the kitchen window while cooking rolled oats for breakfast. There was a pair of goldfinches at the bird feeder getting sunflower seeds. The male was almost entirely in his summer plumage. I have been hearing them but not seeing them. Guess they have been busy replacing feathers.
It was not a good day for people to go out in summer garb though, with temperatures not much above freezing and windy when I took Bode out in the morning. It was getting close to pleasant when the sun came out, but was darn cold most of the time. The skies cleared and the wind dropped by late afternoon though and we went out again under a cloudless blue sky, then when we returned went out into the yard and used the weeder to dig out some dandelions that escaped my attention last year.
On Wednesday although it was cold and rainy we ventured out to get Bode some food. He is really happy when he sees the big bag, and has come to know the clerk at Iseman’s who carries it to the car. We then crossed the street from Manorville into Ford City and I stopped at Brightmeyer’s for my annual flower fix. They had some viola, but said things were late this year and didn’t even have the cash register set up yet. This time last year I had them planted and picked a few flowers to take to my mom when she was in Allegheny General. I got two packs to have something to put in when the daffodils fade. Sure felt tropical inside the greenhouse.
On the yarn stash reduction project, yesterday I finished a top down bolero sweater in dark green wool/mohair blend that my sister got at Rhinebeck a couple years ago. By cutting in the front edges, shortening the sleeves, and reducing the stitches across the back with darts, was able to complete it with a few yards of yarn to spare. When I measured the yardage (using the clock reel) one skein was slightly over 300 yards and the other had almost as much, less what I used to make a pair of fingerless gloves to try the yarn. I then washed the skeins before winding them into balls to knit. The yarn still felt tacky and had a strong cedar scent despite that. Not sure if it was the spinning oil or the dye, but working with it irritated the skin on my hands. I put the sweater into hot water with Eucalan last night after I finished it, not sure if that will do the trick. It still didn’t feel really soft when I steam pressed it this morning.
I am getting more into cardigans. One of the reasons is that while my mom is doing quite well considering what she has been through in the past year, she still has trouble using her left hand — she calls it Charley and scolds it when it doesn’t do her bidding. Getting dressed is difficult, but she can put on a cardigan sweater or sweatshirt a lot better than a pullover. Last week when she got a bit chilly she put on a cardigan in natural dark brown wool homespun yarn (also part of the stash for ages) then decided to wear it home despite it not having buttons yet (procrastination on my part). It did look nice on her and was nice and soft too.
Guess this is a good time to start in on the subject. Yesterday morning I noticed that the forget-me-nots and alpine strawberries were starting to bloom.
One of the strawberry flowers had a dark center, which I remember is a sign that it had experienced frost.
The wiegela bush out front is leafing out. The tulips are blooming now, and although the cherry blossoms and Forsythia are starting to fade, the magnolias, crab apples, spice bush, and azaleas are quite showy, makes for a reward for going out and braving the cold to walk with Bode.
