Goodbye May!

Beautiful Redbud growing very near my neighbourhood.

I can't believe how quickly the month of May has gone.

Every day I wanted to make a new blog entry, but there was always something else

which seemed to take all my attention.

So I'm making a new entry before I go to bed on the last day of the month.

The Dogwood flowers have been especially beautiful this year.

They look so lovely against that light blue sky.

Sitting in the park one day in the shade of the chestnut trees which were in flower.

A small wild flower growing among the wild grasses in the park.

The Rhododendrons have been simply gorgeous.

The tender pink of the Abelia bush taken on an early evening walk in my neighbourhood.

My birthday is in the middle of the month of May

 and this lovely card was from my son and his wife. 

It's beautifully embroidered!

I went with a friend to stay a night in a hotel above the lake and near the town of Vevey.

The view from there is stunning.

Here is one of the statues on the patio!

There are five different very realistic sculptures around the hotel.

This one of the young couple is amusing!

This is the patio where we had a delicious birthday lunch under the parasols.

We were so lucky with the weather.

Towards the evening that was a storm with thunder and lightning and we witnessed the most

amazing double rainbow.

The sky turned black and we watched it through the dining-room window.

It was most impressive.

A double rainbow for my birthday!

The next morning before breakfast, I had a lovely long swim in the hotel's pool.

Sheer bliss!

There were two other ladies already swimming in the pool when I arrived at 6.45 am

I waited till they left before I took the photos

The patio adjoining the pool

Here is my individual birthday cake: dark chocolate mousse with fresh raspberries.

Multi layers of peachy coloured rose petals.

I started a new crochet project which I've called: Birthday Rainbow Blanket!

I've recently discovered a new way of joining crocheted granny squares.

It seems to be working well.

The first nine squares are joined and there will be more to show next time.

A newly painted electric wires box.

'Love is in the air'!

In memory of a loved one, forever close to my heart.

The words are by Theodor Seuss Geisel.

May has been mostly sunny and we even had a few days of heatwave

with temperatures around 30C.

Too hot for me and I was relieved when it cooled down to about 23 degrees.

Tomorrow, it will already be the month of June.

I just wanted to add this little drawstring bag I made from a pattern.

The red,white and blue is in honour of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

I kept a souvenir postage stamp of the Queen, then Princess Elisabeth, when she gave

a radio broadcast with her sister, Margaret.

It was an encouraging message to all British children during World War II.

What an amazing Queen.

Maybe some of you, like me, have been watching the interesting programmes of the

celebrations on the BBC on television.

Link to the pattern by SewHappyCreativ

Welcoming May with Open Arms

I've always loved the month of May

because of the flowers

because it's my birthday,

I love it this year especially because three of the weeks in April

were difficult to get through.

I hurt my back moving heavy boxes around and spent far too long in a forced

rest with a heated pad in my back, pain-killers and several doctor's appointments.

I am pleased to say that the situation is much improved, but not yet perfect.

I missed two weeks of enjoying spring outside and when I went outside for my first walk,

the lilac was in bloom and the fresh, green leaves were on the trees!

The first thing I saw when I walked out the front door were the lilac bushes

in full bloom on the grassy patch near my building.

They smelled heavenly and the grass and tiny daisies under my feet felt wonderful!

The trees in my street were in blossom and the tiny leaves followed soon after.

My young Camellia bush had buds everywhere

and the buds opened to reveal soft red blooms

My balcony started to look very colourful

A big pot of tiny violas is filling out nicely

I picked a few to keep me company inside!

The first strawberry flowers are appearing in my window boxes

A pot of Lily-of-the-Valley for the first day of May

and some freshly picked pansies.

The two cards were for Easter and I keep them out for a long time because they're so pretty.

This little cherub sitting on a heart-shaped trinket container

was given to me by my grandson a while back.

I treasure the thoughtful gift and keep some earrings in it!

I got outside again in time to capture the last of the flowering blossom.

This one is in my street and I look forward to it every year.

These lovely pink ones are in my neighbourhood too.

My favourite apple is called Topaz and I eat one every single day.

I'm so happy that they can still be found at the market.

Do you have a favourite apple?

One day, I fancied some pancakes. These are made with three different kinds of gluten-free

flour, including chestnut and coconut flour.

I diced some ewe's cheese before folding them in half and then some avocado pear to garnish.

My favourite flower in the month of May is the peony.

They come in glorious colours and their petals get lighter and lighter as they mature.

Their centres are a wonder of details

The early morning light behind the pink petals makes them look like a watercolour painting.

I finally finished the edging on my latest crochet creation.

I mentioned it in April. 

It's Granny's Secret Garden and all the rounds in the middle represent

different flowers: a mixed border in the sixteen squares in the middle,

then come the blue and yellow forget-me-nots and then the soft red and pink cherry blossom.

The pattern is by Wool Thread Paint

and I have done my own personal colour scheme.

I made the heart garland a while back.

There is a new project on the go 

and 2022 is the year when I want to reduce my huge stash of yarns

 which seems to be taking over my apartment!

This pattern is called Spring Flower Blanket

I am aiming to crochet 64 big squares and join them together with a border.

This is a photo heavy blog entry as I'm catching up for the lost days of April.

I hope that spring is treating you well.

Whatever happens in our lives, especially the unexpected,

let's keep smiling and know that better times will return again.