Sunday, May 3, 2009

Let It Grow, Let It Grow...

Things are growing like crazy around here:

Could this be a more garish combo?

Fruit is ripening all over the place:

Apricots...

Cherries...

And a lone fig.

Beets are forming...

Broccoli is starting to head:

And if vampires ever show up to bug us, we've got plenty of early garlic to ward them off:

I planted some herbs today too. The back yard is pretty much full, so I planted them in a half-barrel out front:

It's going to be pretty crowded in there but I'm planning only to keep things in the barrel for the season, so it should be okay. I've got chives, parsley, marjoram, thyme, sage and basil.

Things are growing on the fiber front too.

I finished spinning the Crown Mountain Farms singles yesterday:

And plied them today.


That's 491 yards of light-fingering weight superwash Merino for socks. I'm pretty pleased. I'm not sure what pattern I'll knit but I might go for my first pair of Monkeys.

The Swallowtail Shawl is growing as well. A dark messy blob - woohoo!


And another FO I completely forgot about. Earlier this year I made a Tomboy sock which was displayed in Margit's booth at Stitches. I'd only made one, and completely forgot about it until it was returned to me this weekend. So now I have some new socks already half-way completed! It's kind of a cool pattern - I like the cuff a lot.


They Followed Me Home; Can I Keep Them?

Ever since I moved to California I've wanted to try and grow Orchids. I haven't bought any though as they tend to be expensive and I have other spending priorities. But when it rains, it pours - 2 appeared in my life within about a week of each other, both gifts. Sweet, huh?


And Some Things Just Grow Old...

Blogger won't let me rotate this correctly but Miguel insisted I put this in anyway - he wants to be known as San Jose's only 139-year-old model. Not to shabby for an old guy.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey nice spinning! And those are some lovely plants you have going there. Well done.

Is your kitty a service kitty? ::snort::

Maia said...

I envy all your produce! All I have is figs which will probably never ripen.

Nice sock and pretty orchids! Is the sock yarn a 3-py? It is lovely.

~Donna~ said...

Everything is so pretty! Love how your spinning turned out. Someday I will do as well. :)

Def know I'll never do as well growing things. We are black thumbs of plant death and destruction here in the chaos...

(hahaha, my verification word is lards...hahahaha)

Cookie said...

Yummy!

Love the spinning! And the kitty.

xo

Anonymous said...

I love the garish combo! There was a line in a movie called 'Withnail and I', that went "Flowers are essentially tarts for the bees! Give me a good carrot any day."

Seeing all your lovely vegies almost makes me want to move to warmer climates. We were just able to leave our annuals outside overnight this last week!

Anonymous said...

Oh, the garden makes me jealous! I have an azalia blooming on my balcony; I grow a couple phalanopsis in my bedroom - they don't go outside. We have a pink snow-storm going outside. The wind is up and the ornamental plums blossoms are adrift. It is wet, but nice.

Leah

Big Alice said...

No, no, it definitely needs some BRIGHT ORANGE! Like some California poppies or something. Then it would be perfect!

I admire all your lovely vegetables & fruits & beautiful yarn!

Cari said...

Apricots! I wonder if they would grow around here...

AlisonH said...

You do the most gorgeous spinning... That's a lovely green. And that garden is pretty incredible--just wait till Crown Mountain dyes those colors together.