Flowers everywhere

 It's definitely been a floral week around here.  Rob and I both spent what today feels like a little too much time in the yard and flowerbeds, continuing to get ready for this year.  We went to the garden center, but nothing really grabbed me except a few zinnias and I brought them home and put them in pots, so they can prepare for summer when they'll need to stand out.  Everything else is coming along nicely, as you'll see soon.  

Because the baby quilt wasn't pin basted, I had time to make the carnation block for the Ruby McKim Flower Garden quilt.  It's okay.  It doesn't wow me.  It's hard to make a flower look right when it's just one color.  But, that's part of the simplicity of this quilt pattern and this one is going to fit in perfect with the rest to create an overall beautiful effect (fingers crossed...toes crossed, elbows crossed, eyes crossed).  Next block up is the Chinese Lantern.  It's going to take a minute. There are lots of small pieces and long stems...that I might break into smaller pieces to make it easier.  

I got a cookbook for two for Christmas.  Its mid-April and the cover has come off.  I've been using that cookbook a LOT.  I bought a 6" springform pan and last week I made a cheesecake for two.  It was gone in three nights of small slices, topped with sliced strawberries that had been sugared.  It was fabulous, light, and satisfying.  Yesterday, I made a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies.  They're good but they're not as good as the recipe on the back of the lid of the Quaker Oats cylinder.  They're very rich, like a caterer's cookie recipe.  I prefer a cookie that's more like "I want cookies and a glass of milk before bed."  Three of these rich cookies and I wouldn't sleep. But, the cheesecake was perfect.  Not too rich and it had a smooth, creamy feel and taste.  

Every day, I walk through the garden.  I look at what is blooming, what is about to start blooming, and what has stopped blooming that I hope I enjoyed.  

This is the Cinco de Mayo rose.  I was afraid I'd lost this one.  It died back to the snow line from the freeze in February.  But, it's put out new stems and they're from the graft, not from the root stock, so all is well.  Now, they're covered in flower buds.  

I probably would not have bought an orange miniature rose.  But, I have been thinking of adding more orange to my garden, and this rose was free, and there's just nothing bad I can say about that combination. They are very pretty little flowers.  

This little variegated rose was in the same pot with the orange one (what were they thinking!?!).  Another one I probably wouldn't have both, but it's very cute and I'm glad I have it and it's in a perfect spot under the orange tree, so it gets plenty of sun, but not too much sun.  It's also covered in new growth and buds.  

This iris is a mystery.  I don't know where it came from and I don't know how I ended up with four large clumps without knowing I had it.  I can only assume it had never bloomed, but it was clearly growing and reproducing.  I'm glad it bloomed this year and hope it wasn't just because of the freeze and that it will continue to bloom every year.  

Last week was crazy at work.  We're in the middle of a big project, and one of my bosses laid a new project that's due 5 days later on my desk...that's during the testing period for the first project.  I was pissed at first, but realized I could either be pissed or I could get the work done now, when it's kind of slow, and make it convenient for me.  That's what I ended up doing, despite that one person that has no power, so likes to push their weight around any chance they get.  She made a point of letting me know that the document I'm working on wouldn't be ready on my time schedule.  Joke's on her,  I did everything except attach that document on Friday, and then I let everyone know we were waiting on her.  Not in a snotty way, just 'I'm done with what I needed to do.  Let me know when the document is ready'.  

She ain't gone bother me, not this week satan.

Everybody have a great week.  It's going to be busy, but there will still be time to walk in the garden and smell the roses.  Take care and stay safe!  Lane