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. 

March Winds and Sunshine

The first pink blossom of the year!

I can never resist it.

The sunshine in this month of March has been incredibly generous so far,

but the winds have sometimes been quite cold.

There are always lovely walks somewhere along the lake.

This time it was in Montreux which is well-know for its microclimate of warmer weather.

It was quite misty over the water and mountains on this particular day.

There are various artwork pieces along the water's edge.

This one has a great deal of presence.

This one is fascinating and the given title is 'Above Sea Level'

I've moved in closer here, so that you can see the details better.

If you look carefully, especially at the very top of the sculture,

you can see that it's made up of hundreds of tiny, stainless steel fish!

Click on the photo to see it even larger.

My favourite art work, is this poetic one of a little boy high up on a very tall ladder.

He is holding a marble up towards the sky.

There is an accompanying poem in French below.

The first line reads: "Et si ma bille était la lune?"

which means: "And what if my marble were the moon?"

I can zoom in closer with my camera, but to see his face from the front,

 I might have to go into the lake.

The mist on the other side of the lake didn't really disappear through my walk

but I like the dreamy look that it gave.

Apple Blossom!

I know it's far too soon, but I saw this beautiful blossom in front of a florist's shop

which sold flowering Bonzai.

I think that Apple Blossom is my favourite of all!

When we see daffodils in the gardens, we know that spring is well and truly here.

Yesterday was the first day of spring and the daffodils are everywhere.

I saw these in the park yesterday.

Another walk along the lake in the very small town, almost just a village,

called Cully.

The day was mostly dull, but I liked this scene of a couple sitting on a bench

framed by the tree boughs on either side.

On a clearer day, the view here is glorious!

I made a collage of all the flowers I saw between the train station and the lakeside.

The pink blossom is called Deutzia scabra, then comes the yellow Forsythia,

A beautiful daffodil and some purple-pink Aubretia.

I wanted to include some yellow and blue to honour the Ukrainian people.

These hearts and yellow pansies and tulips are for them.

The garland in the middle is the one hanging over the couch in my living-room.

The crochet collage is a small couch throw that I've been making for an old friend.

The colours were chosen to go with a creamy coloured couch.

Apparently, it's very snug!

I've been making a larger couch throw/small blanket for my son and his wife,

but I was waiting for a delivery of extra yarn to arrive

and was able to finish the above project.

On Saturday, I did a lot of gardening on my balcony, cutting back plants,

scraping the surface of the earth and lots of watering.

I thought that it would be really lovely to make a collage of everything in flower right now.

I took these photos yesterday, on the first day of spring!

On the upper left, my tiny Campanula have been giving flowers all through the winter.

The Camellia plant has just given me two beautiful blooms.

The pansies speak for themselves - always so cheerful.

The tiny green leaf is new growth on my geranium plants.

The pink Cyclamen has survived the winter, all three plants.

The tiny viola on the lower right is new this year!

I hope that wherever you are, you are also enjoying the joys of spring

and some of you may be experiencing a beautiful autumn!

Until next time with more flowers and lake shots and some crochet too.

May you enjoy this month of March.

The Blustery Month of April

Daffodils are the darlings of the season.

Lots of walks in my neighbourhood lately to see what is happening

in all the local gardens.

These were captured on an early evening walk

I love this wild garden with all the blossoms, pink and yellow

blowing in the gusty winds we've been having  and showing a lovely mixture of colours. 

The pale grasses in the background were blowing in all directions.

The blackbird was singing so beautifully in the late afternoon

on one of the still bare branches of a tree.

Some trees are more advanced and are showing tiny green leaves

just starting to unfurl and hints of pink blossom here and there.

I do like the birdhouse perched up high waiting

for feathered visitors to choose to rear their young.

The Aubrietia is so dainty and hangs down in rock gardens.

I even planted some on my balcony this spring.

The cherry blossom has been eye-catchingly beautiful this year.

Some are finishing and others are just starting up.

We have been having deep blue skies, but always accompanied

by strong north easterly winds.

These contrast so nicely against the rustic tiled roof.

Young, fresh green leaves are growing on the hedges and bushes.

These last two images are of Hazel leaves.

These are Purple Hazel with matching catkins!

There was a very special event at the beginning of April!

My grandson celebrated his 18th birthday!

I made a collage to show him as an adorable baby with just two little teeth on the bottom,

and then as the young man he is today.

I wanted to give him something meaningful for this special 

coming of age birthday and chose a key

with a short text  concerning the symbolic meaning.

When I turned 21 in England, my father gave me a gold key

on a bracelet, representing 'the key of the house' to show that I had now become

a responsable adult!

It has been a privilege watching my grandson grow up

and to have had him stay with me ever since he was little.

We have many shared memories together which I shall never ever forget

and hopefully he will remember them too!

One of the most beautiful trees during this month of April

have been the Magnolia trees.

There is a whole row of them in front of lovely buildings when walking down to the lake.

The flowering has been amazingly abundant.

Beautiful in bud form

Gently opening up in filtered sunlight

Revealing their beautiful centres.

They have resisted remarkably well during these windy days and a brief return to night frosts.

It's the simple things 

which speak to our hearts the most

and give life meaning.

Here is the little crocheted square doily under the geranium pot.

I chose the colours which remind me of Apple Blossom.

I hope that your are enjoying the month of April too.