Blooming Eggs

On our back porch/deck area we have two hanging plants that I scored on a clearance rack for $1.00 a few years ago. They've bloomed for the past few years but things weren't looking good this Spring. Over Spring Break I gave them a good "haircut" and tried to weed out all the dead leaves, etc....Finally yesterday I noticed the first signs of flowers and was so excited that I pulled the pot down to trim a bit more of the non-healthy parts.

Imagine my surprise when I looked in the plant to see this:

A bird nest with eggs!!!

For some reason I sort of had a minor excited-type freak out and kept chanting in head (and perhaps out-loud too), "Eggs in flower pot! Eggs in Flower pot!"-I tend to leave out prepositions when I'm in this state.

I was so worried the my moving the planter from the hook to the table would have somehow damaged the eggs or make the mama not want to come back. Then I noticed some activity in the yard and a very nervous bluebird flying from fence to fence watching me. CRAP!! I actually apologized to the bird (I'm a weirdo)..Ran in to get my camera and then carefully put the planter back on the hook and prayed the eggs wouldn't be abandoned.

When I mentioned the nest to DH, he was as surprised as me, but then remembered seeing a bird flying in/out of there a lot over the past month. After doing some online research I think the bird is an eastern bluebird and this can be common for birds to build nests in these type of areas. Believe it or not, the best way to keep birds from building nests is to position a rubber snake in the area around the pot.

We're going to leave the planter as is and hope for the best. I did see a bird flying in and out of the pot this morning so I know the eggs are still being cared for.

Will keep you posted!

Finding Comfort

Last weekend I decided to take my Mom (along with a friend) on a field trip to Comfort, TX for a visit to The Tinsmith's Wife yarn shop. What a fantanstic shop! I ended up purchasing:

Blue Sky dyed cotton yarn-Poppy (oh sooo soft!), and 2 skeins of J.Knits Superwash Me sock yarn (Providence and Reno). I'm already looking forward to my next trip back!

The best bluebonnets I saw were walking on the sidewalk to the different antique shops.

It's been a pretty sad year for the bluebonnets-too dry!

I am happy to report that we have tomatoes! First up are some grape tomatoes:


Also some "regular" tomatoes. I'm already planning a batch of fried green tomatoes when they're ready!

I'm still working on my Clapotis and plan on starting the decrease section soon!

A Weekend at the Beach

Last weekend was the "pick-up" for my Mom who has been wintering on South Padre Island. She flies to S.A. December around 1st, my friend Diane and I drive her down to SPI. My Dad drives down a few weeks later (he has to stay in MN a bit longer for meetings and such) and then Dad drives back to MN the end of March, then Diane and I go to pick up Mom around April 1st and bring her back to stay with DH and I for a week before she flies back to MN.

Dad took this picture today. Can you blame Mom for wanting to hold off a few days before heading back?!

Dad can't even drive up to the house yet and has to use the sled to haul things from the end of the driveway, which is a hilly 1/2 mile long.

On the way to SPI I did get to check out Knotty Girl in Corpus Christi and found a few things to add to my yarn collection. Two skeins of Madelinetosh sock yarn (colorway Blood on top and Rhubarb at the bottom-the twist is nice and tight) and a skein of Aslan trends Guanaco in Blue Jean for the traveling scarf project I'm participating in. The thing I liked most about this LYS is that the owner greeted me warmly, and then gave me my space to look without hovering or pressure to buy-I loved that! I'd stop again if I were in the area.


The best part of the SPI trip was the dinner "cruise" on a catamaran.

BTW..boat pics taken with my new phone camera-not too bad!