POTPOURRI

Back to blogging.  I was down for most of the long, hot summer with shingles but feeling much better now so have a few things to share today. 

We lost our border collie dog, Lady, who is my profile picture.  We now have a new border collie named Jack.  He turned 3 on September 1 and now has a special place at our house. He  loves for you to throw him a frisbee or a tennis ball everytime you go outside!  He is full of energy and I haven't caught him down long enough to take a picture of him.  My daughter did get this head shot of him
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I have been doing some stamping again and like this Christmas card I made last week.  When Vicki (VDM)on Splitcoaststampers posted this card I was smitten.  When I commented liking the embossing folder and the sentiment she kindly embossed some cardstock and stamped off some sentiments and sent to me.  Thanks again, Vicki .  Here is Vicki's card:

and here is the card I made using the embossed panel and the sentiment.  The cardstock is white but has a pink cast in the photo.

The bloom in the garden was about half what it usually is due to the drought and heat.  I still have one daylily, named DOUBLE PASSION,  blooming, but the colder weather will soon end all that.

The Knockout roses were the best bloomers in my yard this year and since the rains have really kicked it up a notch.  I have single red, single and double pink and single yellow.  Will try to get  some pictures before the frost gets them. 

Today is World Cardmaking Day to may try to make a card after lunch.

SPRING-OR IS IT SUMMER ALREADY?

Spring is a favorite time of year for me.  This year the weather has been unusually warm and most flowers are about two weeks ahead of themselves.  My oldest daughter was on vacation a couple of weeks ago and we went on several wildflower hunts.  Here are a few of my favs from the pictures she took. 

 This is a new wildflower for us this year, High Bush Huckleberry.  Love the little white bell flowers that hang down.

 Love all the violets and especially this two toned Birdsfoot Violet.

 This Downy Phlox was so pretty growing in a clump.  Love the bright rose pink color.

 This is another very pretty wildflower, Indian Paintbrush, that is not that easy to find here.

I love yellow/gold flowers and this is a beauty with a unusual name, Squaw Weed. 

I am lucky to have this Wild Columbine self seed in my shade garden-long blooming.

This is LouseWort or Wood Betony.  Another one that I think is really pretty.

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Have been working outside most mornings getting the weeds out and putting down mulch.  While my daughter was on vacation we moved daylilies and downsized some beds.  I have two early daylilies blooming now; species dumortierri and Stella de Oro.  Have scapes and buds on a few others but it will be awhile before they bloom.  Here is one of my favorite photos taken a few years ago of daylily Stella de Oro around the bottom and clematis Ville de Lyon on the front lamp post.

Have been on a stamping downturn but will get back to making some more cards or scrapbooking soon.

UPDATE TIME

On Splitcoaststampers Featured Stamper forum they usually pick one person as Featured Stamper for the week and we are to make a card changing at least two things about one of their cards.  Recently they had us all as featured stampers.  We were to pick one of our own cards and make another one changing at least two things.  The Coral Shells card is the one I chose of mine to Case. 

 I used the same stamp but changed colors, made a one layer card and used scoring below the image instead of embossing.  The Shells stamp by Inkadinkado is one of my favorite images and is easy to watercolor. I like the navy version but think the Coral Shells is my favorite of the two.

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Like a lot of you our Spring has been unusually warm and most things are at least three weeks early in bloom. Here are a few pics I have taken recently of things blooming in the yard.

This Bleeding Heart started as a start from my Mother's original plant.  I downsized my shade garden last week and we moved the above plant farther back in the bed and it survived beautifully with just a few broken branches.

My dwarf iris have all bloomed out now; the blooms didn't seem to last as long this year. I have them planted along the patio steps where I can be sure and see them.  Love their pretty purple color.

The Forsythia was pretty this year-more blooms than usual.  It was already here when we came here in 1979.  I finally gave it a good trim and it has done much better . 

Too early in the season here to plant annuals but these Violas I found at our local Wal-Mart called my name and I bought these two containers.  They are pretty hardy so should survive a frost if we get one. 

Hope you enjoy the Spring photos.
 

FLOWERS and BIRDS

 The above two photos are of Helleborus that are blooming now.  I think they are so pretty, even the undersides of the leaves.  Don't know what variety I have as they were a start from my daughter.  My new header picture is also the helleborus.

Below are crocus that just popped up the last day or two in the poppy bed-see the fuzzy foliage, that is poppy foliage.  Will have poppies around May 1.  Also in this bed, which is around a maple tree, is some hostas and some Asiatic lilies-the orange lilies bloom usually around July.

I like the crocus foliage and my photograper (daughter) got a good shot of the foliage in this pic-notice the buckeye behind the foliage.

 My daughter took these photos in her yard.  She has lots of birds including these pretty cardinals.

                                                                       Regal Royalty

                                                                               Friends

 What do I hear?  He has his head cocked like he is listening for something.  Probably heard the photographer.

The pretty twigged bush they are resting in is a Red Twig Dogwood. 

Haven't done any stamping for awhile-lost my mojo somewhere.  This past week I started working on our taxes,  getting the paperwork ready to go to the accountant.  Need to get my desk cleaned off so I can make a few birthday cards.  

POTPOURRI III

A New Year and a New Beginning.  In looking back through the cards I made in 2011, I picked out a few that were some of my favorites. Most have been posted on my blog with details about the cards so here are five of them in no particular order with no descriptions.  If you have a question, just ask and I will get back to you (if I know the answer. (G)

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So far we have had a fairly mild winter.  Had school dismissed one day last week due to some ice and snow but they are saying maybe 60 degrees tomorrow!  Again, in looking back through my photos here are some favorites from past Winters. 

This photo was taken at Baptist Camp.

This was taken at my daughter's house during the 2008 ice storm.  Sure hope we don't have any of that this year.

A view of our milk barn that is now used for storage as we no longer milk cows for a living!

I can see the top of our neighbor's silo out my kitchen window.  Silos being used are a thing of the past around here, so wanted to get a photo to share, as it still is in good shape.

Will be back later with some more photos to share.  Hope the New Year is going well for you all.