Last Color of Spring

The azaleas are blooming!!! When these azaleas open up the riot of white is amazing. Each year we look forward to them. They must love the location because we sure do neglect them. We don't fertilize them or cut them back. They go way over on the driveway and we drive to the side to protect them!

 The splash of salmon in there is the azalea we got in the 80s as a memorial to my Grandmother. I wanted just a touch of color among the white. Looks like we should get after that bed in the foreground and clear out stuff. I'm always afraid to do it, afraid I'll pull some money plant by mistake. They go wherever they want! Some of it's starting to bloom plus we've got some pots of it there that we got from a neighbor. Our money plant is all purple. Theirs are white and we want both in the yard.

 One thing we started to do a few years ago was transplant the azaleas. We couldn't find more of the kind  we have so DH put a rock on a stem of one or two under the bushes and waited til new roots were established and then dug them out, transplanting them to the other side of the sidewalk. These are 2 bushes he moved. They're young yet but should continue to spread on this side.

 The blooms are really big. We haven't found any at the nurseries that are this big so that's why we started transplanting our own. It takes time but is definitely worth the work. We live where you can't see our house from the road. I'm kind of glad for that because it's like a best kept secret!

 We have a small
 lilac bush that has tiny flowers. It blooms after the others. I included a picture of the bloom for my Mom. See how small they are compared to the leaves? I don't know what kind of bush it is but the flowers are a pale purple.

On the loom this week was a navy warp. The picture looks gray but it's not. It's a deep rich navy with a few other accent yarns included. The variegated chenille yarn gives it a bit of a kick but the picture doesn't really show it. Next up will be turquoise! That'll be another warp that I'll enjoy weaving!

 I like to make baby blankets but haven't had time to do it lately. However, a friend is due May 9 so I'd better get on the stick and sew! It's a boy who will be a brother to a big sister, kind of like Karen in the Wood's new grandbabies! This is just part of the quilt.

 I like the way  the fabric includes trains and farms.

I'm always on the lookout for cool fabric for these blankets. Recently I saw online that they have printed fabric with the Berenstain Bears on it. There's a whole collection of fabrics including polka dots, butterflies, baseball mitts, bats and balls.  Also there are several with the bears themselves on them. It's the coolest thing. I found some in town this week and got some to make baby blankets, altho DD wants a throw with it. I'll post pictures when I get around to sewing them. I think the fabric is just the most incredible. DD loved those books and we read them alot  when she was young!

I got a centrifuge last week from Laundry Alternatives. It's going to save so much time wringing out skeins, etc when dyeing. But, first I'm going to be soaking all the loopers I dyed in RIT in retayne to stop any fading. I think it'll come in handy to wring out those loopers. They'll dry much faster when all that water is out of them. The machine works great. It's amazing how dry things are once the water is spun out of there.
That's going to be a fun thing to do this week!!
Guess I've got my work cut out for me!
Til next week
Carol