March Sunshine

Brightly coloured crocuses greet us in the park

There is still snow in the mountains - and since I took this, there have been

fresh snowfalls!

The two humps are called: Tour de Mayen on the left and Tour d'Aï on the right.

When I walk for about 25 minutes up the hill (all the way) above my neighbourhood,

I can see this lovely view!

The best part is going down the hill again all the way home!

In February, as the days got longer,

I heard the first blackbird sing in the morning and early evenings!

Such a joy!

I also love the beautiful shapes of the trees and their branches without leaves.

These two mono shots were taken in my neighbourhood.

A visit to the local florist's shop to see what beautiful blooms were available.

I asked her if I could take her photo while she prepared a bouquet for a client.

She kindly agreed.

I noticed the wonderful lines and curves of some graceful pink lilies

I brought a bouquet home with me.

They're such impressive big flowers

The stamen are glorious seen through a macro lens.

When they had passed their beauty and starting to shrivel up,

I put them on the balcony and a snowstorm made them look beautiful again.

One day I needed to go downtown and loved passing these street musicians

playing happy traditional jazz.

They were putting everyone in a good mood!

It was one of those sunny days with a perfect blue sky.

This is the St. Laurent Church

close to where the music was being played.

The pigeons were lined up enjoying the view.

Who can resist tulips in the spring?

These came home with me when the lilies had finished their blooming.

They opened up to a beautiful shade of red.

So perfect against the back lighting.

Things have been very busy on the crochet front.

This is my temperature blanket so far

January and February temperatures are represented here.

They range from 0 to 18C.

Our weather has been changeable and now we are entering a colder period again.

It seems that March is coming in like a lion

even though today is very sunny.

The weekly creations of flowers continues.

These layered ones. Really lovely to create.

Roses too, made from three different patterns.

Check out the 2020 Flower Challenge

Anabelia Craft Design

These first two months of the year are perfect for doing handiwork,

don't you think?

Perhaps there are many lovely things that you like doing at this time of the year.

The Snowstorm: a real-life story

She strode up the street in the deepening snow

the laces on her boots swinging out with each step.

She had forgotten her gloves that morning and had pulled the sleeves 

of her sweater over her hands.

I could hear the scrunch of her boots as she walked

and imagined the soft thudding sound that the snow must be making on her umbrella.

The snowstorm had brought everything in the city to a grinding halt.

The cars could hardly get up my street without their tyres squealing and slipping

on the slippery surface,

and those going down the hill slid down sideways when they hit the breaks.

Dogs still had to be taken for walks

and red cars showed off their red paintwork

gleaming against the white of the snow.

Passers-by dashed past

wanting to get home as soon as possible

and thankful they had taken their umbrellas with them that morning.

But I was snug in my apartment

watching the big flakes floating down against the building opposite.

I ventured out onto one end of my balcony,

feeling as excited as when I was a child and I used to rush outside

in the snow with outstretched arms

as if to catch all the flakes in the sky!

I zoomed in on the nearby small park to capture the beauty of it all.

embracing the scene with my eyes

in its tiniest detail

I went outside a little later and captured this bench on which no one would sit that day.

A bush with red berries gave a welcome splash of colour

My pot of purple flowers, which had survived since the summer,

looked a little shocked by their sprinkling of snow.

I pulled them nearer to the kitchen window to protect them as best I could.

I returned inside to the warmth of the kitchen where there was the aroma of soup

simmering in the cast-iron pan.

Carrot and sweet potatoes were cooking with grated ginger.

Perfect for a day like today!

When I looked outside again, the snow was coming sideways ...

or was that the window which had turned when I wasn't looking...?

Well that was the story of Friday

and now it's already Sunday

and an array of coloured crocheted hearts

are sitting on my work table.

Red ones and pink ones with assorted chocolates

Turquoise and orange

made into pouches with handles

Some with frilly edges

... and one just for you with a Lindt chocolate heart

just in time to wish you all a

Happy Valentine's Day!

This pattern is called Granny Heart Superstar

which you can find

here