Do you see it?

It's not much but it's starting. The grass is actually turning green! We got about a half inch of rain yesterday. Now if we get some warmer temperatures things will really get going....

I have daylilies that are starting to show up. They are the kind that will grow anywhere under any conditions. Actually, the lady I got them from had thrown them away in the trees around her yard and they took root and grew. So she asked me if I wanted some of them and I took them. They are spreading like crazy but I put them where they can do that so all is good.

I also have irises that came up awhile back but have since turned yellow. Too damp and too cold. They should be fine once it warms up. Can't be too soon for me. I visited with a friend yesterday and all she wanted for Mother's Day is to be able to get outside and work in her flower beds. I second that motion!

Lullaby baby afghan progress

I don't think that I'm 1/2 way done yet, but I'm still loving the pattern and the yarn and the pink color and especially the needles. They are Susan Bates Silverado circular needles. Love the cord. So flexible. I don't have to fight with it at all. That makes the whole process so much more enjoyable. I usually don't care for metal needles but these have something done to them that makes them just the right amount of grip and slip with the yarn. Did I say I love them??

When I get done with this one and the blue baby afghan, I have some very pretty lavender colored yarn that I'll be making into another baby afghan. I'm thinking I should have a baby afghan on the needles all the time. I'm hoping for lotsa grandbabies! Just don't tell DSs that I said that! ;)

Diet Coke

So. I've been trying to cut back drastically or completely eliminate diet Coke from my life. A little over a month ago was when I made this decision. It's going along okay, but on Saturday and Sunday mornings it is especially difficult. During the week I would just grab a can from the fridge and head to work. But on the weekend, it was...the diet Coke, ice, my special mug, the fizzing, the clinking ice, even the pop of opening the can seemed to give extra expectation. It's was all so alluring. The iced tea just doesn't come close and is such a disappointment in comparison. I'm going to keep on but the weekends it's just so hard trying to break those old habits.

I'm a copycat!

I've seen this in a couple other blogs today and thought it was a good idea so I'm doing the same thing!


You know you are from North Dakota if...

you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through 18 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by,

you're proud that your region makes the national news 96 nights each year because Devils Lake is the coldest spot in the nation,

your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March,

you instinctively walk like a penguin for five months out of the year,

someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there,

you have worn shorts and a parka at the same time,

your town has an equal number of bars and churches,

you have had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number


YOU KNOW YOU ARE A TRUE North Dakotan WHEN

1. "Vacation" means going east or west on I-94 for the weekend.

2. You measure distance in hours.

3. You know several people who have hit a deer more than once.

4. You often switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again.

5. You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching.

6. You see people wearing camouflage at social events (including weddings).

7. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.

8. You carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend knows how to use them.

9. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit.

10. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow.

11. You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction.

12. Your idea of creative landscaping is a statue of a deer next to your blue spruce.

13. You were unaware that there is a legal drinking age.

14. Down South to you means Nebraska.

15. A brat is something you eat.

16. Your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his new pole shed.

17. You go out to a tail gate party every Friday.

18. Your 4th of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost.

19. You have more miles on your snow blower than your car.

20. You find 0 degrees "a little chilly."

Random

Yesterday was a long day. I got a lot done but realized when I got to work this morning that there were still things that I forgot to get on my list so that means I'll start a new list for the next trip to the "big" city! :)

I have 2 new books to read. Michael J. Fox's newest book "Always Looking Up" and Dan Brown's "Angels & Demons". I'm really looking forward to both of them. Now the big question is do I start them both or do one and then the other? Besides that I told myself that I was going to reread "The Shack" and I haven't started that yet either. I don't think I could do 3 books at once and keep track of what is happening in them. Easily confused.

The daylilies are starting to show up on the west side of the house. They are only about 2" tall. But they are green and that is more than I can say for the grass which is still brown. The next few days won't help any. Colder again and snow. Of course snow at this time of year isn't all that unusual. We've had snow in May too. The only good thing about that is that you know it won't last long.

Maddie is wanting to get outside in the worst way. She can smell the springtime smells and she can hear and see all the birdies. Teddie doesn't know outside yet so he's not interested at all.

I didn't knit a stitch yesterday. Some days end up like that.

Wonderful weather....today at least

It is looking like today will be the best day of the week. It'll be a little windy (what else is new), but the temperature is forecast for the 60s. Super. And....later this week.....snow. Yes, you read me right. We are looking at snow again. AUGH!

I have a dermatologist appointment today and so will be out of the office most of the day. Wahoo. I made the appointment a year ago and who woulda thought that I'd get such a nice day to be out and about.

Well, I'm gonna get off here and on my way. Things to do. Places to be.

A 1st birthday party in a few hours?!

Meet Bella. I made her yesterday. Here's her story.

I got a phone call about 9:30 a.m. inviting us to our great niece's 1st birthday party. I immediately got on Ravelry to look for toy patterns. I wasn't having a bunch of luck when I remembered that Lion Brand has toy patterns. I found Bella there.

I got started crocheting about 10 a.m. and by 11:30 decided that there was no way I was going to get it done on time since I had another obligation for most of the afternoon. So I thought about what makes a bunny a bunny and of course that's the ears and the tail. So Bella didn't get any arms and legs, but the mom of our great niece said she looks like the Velveteen Rabbit so Bella is in good company!

I finished crocheting Bella about 1:15 p.m. and headed to our Church Ladies' Pie Social and got home from that about 4:30 p.m. I wrapped Bella in some pretty pink tissue paper and tied it with some yarn that's the same as her tail. We arrived at the birthday party about 5 p.m.

Here's the scoop on Bella.
Caron Simply Soft yarn.
Size G crochet hook.
Bella the Bunny pattern.
Just a bit of embroidery thread for eyes, mouth and nose.
That's it...and a few hours of crocheting as fast as you can go! :)

BTW, a very happy ending, great niece absolutely fell in love with Bella.