Weekend projects

I am sticking with my NY resolution to spend more time doing nothing.  I notice the most when I start writing a blog and think back over the week and think about what I did and realize, not so much.  It was a good week at work, no problems, but lots of good projects turned in and several problems solved.  That's how work is supposed to be.  Saturday, I worked in the yard all morning and then Rob took me to a real nursery (as opposed to a hardware store garden center).  It was fun and we saw a lot of plants I would love to plant, if or when I have the space.  I'm putting together some mixed pots for display and needed something that would trail out of the pot, but mostly, I was looking for a Japanese Maple.  Of course, it rained and was cold yesterday, so I didn't get to do anything with my very expensive specimen, but it's here and ready to pot into a larger pot.  I plan to grow it on the back of the house along with a collection of other shade loving plants, all in blue planters.  I  hope to get to that soon!

Remember that I mentioned a gingham afghan that I saw the pattern for in a Project Linus newsletter?  Well, I had to start it a couple weeks ago.  Rob and I tried to find the right combination of red or blue or green or gold, but we didn't find anything that did the 'half step' of color saturation except these grays.  Gray isn't a color I work with much, but I love how this is turning out.  It looks like a black/white photo.  It's going to be an adult size afghan, so I started with 3 pounds of yarn and may need another small skein of the lighter gray to finish it.  

I'm also working on a sock.  I was ready to tie off the toe when I found a dropped stitch.  I was going to pick out a couple rows to pick it back up again and before I knew it, I'd taking out 18 rows of knitting, so I'll have to wait until another day to share a pic.  

Sunday morning, Rob and I were both in a cleaning mood and spent the morning dusting and putting things away.  Sunday afternoon, I took advantage of the cold cloudy day and stayed inside.  I started assembling a shirt that was cut out and had the interfacing fused to it, but I hadn't taken the first stitch on.  I got the front and back completed and the sleeve plackets put int, but ran out of time before I could get the sleeves added.  Now all the fiddly bits are done, it should go together really quickly, next time I have the time to just sit and sew.  Rob has already picked fabric for his next shirt, so I need to get on it to finish this one.  (Can't take that man into a fabric store 😍)

There were some nice flower pics.  I had forgotten about this pot of Iris.  I assumed they were a clump that I'd dug up somewhere else and stuck in a pot to give away.  I could not have been more wrong.  They're a clump we dug up from the first house Syd lived in and I got my first bloom from them this year.  So, I'll be dividing these so Rob can have half and then finding a nice place to enjoy them in the garden.  

We picked up this kalanchoe at the garden center to give some color to the table on the deck.  I love having a flowering plant there to enjoy.  

This was supposed to be a white bougainvillea, but the more sun the plant gets, the pinker the flowers are.    I don't mind.  It's still a beauty!

And, some lovely yellow Iris.  

The daylilies are going to have their best year ever.  I've never seen so many scapes and flowers starting to form.  I can hardly wait!

Everybody have a great week!  Find something to enjoy and if possible, somebody to enjoy it with, even if it's just dusting!  Hope you're getting some flowers where you are.  

Lane