Fruit and Birds

 

Design - "Fruit Sampler"

Designer- unknown

Chart - "Prizewinning Mini Samplers" 034819

Better Homes and Gardens

Fabric - 28 count Khaki Jobelin

Floss - DMC

Started - 5 March 1997

Completed - 8 March 1997

My cross stitch selection is an older stitch - 23 years old now, wow!  Have you been stitching long enough to remember buying cross stitch magazine and the charts featured in them?

I am most thankful for blue skies and clean air.

The Steller's Jays and California Scrub Jays are too.

Lots of California Quail out and about.  Most are sticking close to the brush as there is an active Cooper's Hawk in the area.

Monday I was pleased to see the FOS (first of the season) Golden-crowned Sparrow. 

The bird had flown down from the north (Alaska, the Yukon and British Columbia)to spend the winter here.

Strawberry Monday

Several new Followers joined this past week!

Welcome Everyone!

Design - "Strawberry Sampler" (Flora McSample)

Designer - Lizzie Kate

Fabric - 30 count WDW Parchment

Fibers - Crescent Colors, WDW, GAST

Started - 30 July 2011

Completed - 4 August 2011

I think Lizzie Kate has done a great job with her creation of Lizzie McSample (an imaginary friend of Theresa Venette's Jenny Bean).  The charts & kits thus far have been innovative and charming!

And isn't this little girl charming?

She's a newly fledged Evening Grosbeak...

She still flutters as much as she flies...

And she's still a major-time begger.  Her Mom gave in and fed her sunflower seeds from the feeder.

Changes Abound...

Stitching Lizzie Kate's "Strawberry Sampler" is a pleasure!  This has become my "take-along" project - perfect size to put in a tote bag to take in the car or outside.  A good stitch for a busy life. 

The Barn Swallow couple has been extremely busy too.  Their first babies fledged on the 4th of July.  On Monday we noticed that their 2nd clutch had hatched, and the parents were hard at work feeding babies once again.  At this point the babies must still be very small and blind - no sounds of peeping yet.

The California Quail coveys are all growing.  If you look closely you can see the small "top-knots" on these youngsters.  We have a group of 15 babies, a group of 9 babies, and a group of 3 babies...and there may be others out there.  The worrisome thing is that at this stage the two Outdoor Cats are extremely interested in our Quail families.  Vigilance Everyone!   

We also abound in bunnies!  I counted nine one evening.  In past years, Tom-Cat has morphed into Elmer Fudd ("Kill the 'Wabbit!") leaving headless carcasses in his wake.  This year we've only had one victim early in the Spring.  I'm hopping hoping for the best!

I've never seen a Hummingbird's nest.  Wouldn't that be something special?

Strawberries and Agaves

As usual, Lizzie Kate has designed a sweet and charming small sampler.  I finished up the strawberry last night.  I do think that her mini-samplers have gotten more sophisticated in the last couple of years.

Ruth of Pittsford, NY asked about an element in my August Blogger Header.  As she has no email, I am unable to respond, but on Saturday I'll post all the designers / charts used to create this month's header...be patient!  

It's Tuesday - Garden Party Time.

Today I'm all about Agaves.

Even though the Willamette Valley of Oregon does not have a "deserty" climate, I've found several varieties of Agaves who like it here just fine. 

This is Agave x leopoldii.  We got this at Cistus Nursery.  It's great in a small container or rockery.  Frost hardy to 15F. 

Given the unfriendly nature of Agaves - ouch!  I love this one's name Agave funkiana 'Fatal Attraction'.  This is another Cistus Nursery purchase.  Dark green leaves with a pale green mid-stripe down the center.  Does well in containers -  good to 15F.

This is a Proven Selection - Agave ghiesbrehtii "El Montevideo'.  It's sold as an annual but I over-wintered it just fine.  Full sun, little water - good to 5F.

This is a Proven Selection too - Agave parryi truncata "Retro Choke'.  It's a very cool Blue-green with wicked spines!

This Agave is from Xera Plants.  It's called Agave toumeyana.  It's a natural dwarf Agave with deep green leaves edged in white and soft hairs.  To only 1' wide in ten years, making it an ideal container plant.  Good to 5-10F.

Not sure where we got this one. It's called Agave americana "Opal'.  Originally from Mexico, this baby can grow to 3'!  Blue-grey foliage with an attractive creamy-yellow edge.  Good to 15F.

This Agave is also from Xera. It's called Agave schidigera 'Shira ito no Ohi'. It grows to 1' tall and about twice that wide.  It's hardy to 15F.

These last purchases are from Gindhart Nursery and had no tags...I bought them for the stripes and...

I love the spots on this guy!

Our Agave collection is growing.  In the late Fall I move the pots under the eaves next to the house.  They have a little temperature protection that way and they don't get rained on all winter long.  Everything has come through the winters just fine - no apparent damage.  Low water - low maintenance - a Win-Win for the Gardener!    

Next Up on the Rotation

With the end in sight for "Soft as a Bunny", I decided to kit up a darling Lizzie Kate stitch - Flora McSample's "Strawberry Sampler".  It's nice once in a while to already have the required linen and floss in hand - the old instant gratification thing! 

I'm also mulling over what my August blog header should be...a Celebration of Summer in some fashion I think.

And aren't these Osteospermum bright and cheery?  They are appropriately named "Pumpkin Pie"!  They get a fair amount of sunshine which they love - lots and lots of buds yet so I'll have colors for several weeks to come.

The evening light was very kind to this Verbena bonariensis / Agastache combination.  Both plants over-wintered most successfully. 

I even managed to catch a Hummingbird hard at work.

I guess he likes the combination too.

I call these my two Monster Fuchsias  - the one on the right is Gardenmeister - the one on the left is a Gardenmeister hybrid.  

This Salvia has wonderful blue/gray feathery foliage - a great contrast to the bright orange/pink blooms.

I'll subject you to leave you today with a couple more Verbena / Agastache photos...

Something about this particular color / texture combination delights my soul!

Happy Friday All!