"I started photographing my domestic world and writing not just about what I had made,
but why I made it, examining the thoughts that accompany creativity and the act of making."
Jane Brocket from The Gentle Art of Domesticity p. 189 UK edition

Saturday, May 25, 2019

May: Many Flowers, Mt. Hood, and Craft Math

In the world around you, are you enjoying flowers in May?  I hope so; there are so many beautiful varieties to marvel over!

In my last post, I asked if any of you recognized a plant I inherited when I purchased my current home.  It reminded me of Bleeding Heart flowers I had seen although at that stage the heart-shaped blossom was not evident.


Now with confidence, I know that there are two different colors of Bleeding Hearts in the garden areas on either side of the front door.


If you click HERE you will be linked to more information about them.


While the hanging baskets of mixed flowers I hung are looking healthy now, I have been horrified two times when I looked out the front doorway and saw that the plants were wilted! The Spring weather shifts between warm and sunny and cool and gray and I am still learning to water appropriately.


Although there are many blooming Rhododendrons in the area around me, this is the one cluster of pretty blooms on the bush in front of the house that I am enjoying viewing.


Once I attended a wedding in which the bride had chosen to carry a lovely bouquet of white Calla Lilies, and I have admired their blooms ever since and am happy to have them in the garden in the front of the house.


See the white fluff above the roof line in the cleft of the trees?  That is the snow-capped top of Mt. Hood!  I am so excited to be able to see it from across the street looking toward my new home, thanks to a kind neighbor who introduced herself soon after I moved in.  She gave me a picture she had taken, and then this month when the weather cooperated she took me across the street and to the spot where I could take a photo for myself.  My home is the unit on the right; the Calla Lilies were just starting to bloom then.


Since I moved in almost five months ago I have tried to participate in some of the condominium's social activities to get to know some of my neighbors.  This month we had a Tea Party with most of us bringing our own tea cups and some of us bringing teapots to share.  It was a sweet way to gather.


As we near the end of May I am anticipating the warm summer months of outdoor activities including picnicking and brought out a red gingham tablecloth and washed and put away the green gingham one I had been using for Spring.  On Monday we celebrate Memorial Day established federally in the USA in 1971 as a day to remember and honor those in the armed services who gave their lives for the cause of peace for our country. The interesting long history of the day is documented in the link you will find if you click on Memorial Day above.


While I am still working on a baby blanket based on the Grandmother's Favorite dishcloth pattern, I have knit two more little dishcloths using the basic pattern, but in the one on the left, I have a three stitch border and the one on the right I have a two stitch border. Therein is my encounter with craft math challenge.  I am not gifted in math and detail work in general, and I am not showing you my first attempt at a three stitch border which ended in a wonky way :-)  The little dishcloth on the left, my second attempt in making a three stitch border on a small dishcloth is closer to being square than my first attempt, but I do not understand the math behind the construction, nor if it is possible to make a three stitch border more square.  If you want to attempt to enlighten me, I will be grateful!

Meanwhile, for many reasons, I am grateful today. The Thanksgiving I read this morning resonated with me in this season of the year and of my life, and I hope it will encourage you as well.

Gracie :-)  xx 

16 comments:

  1. It's nice to see so much greenery around you and everything coming into bloom. Really lovely that your neighbor took you to just the right spot to capture a wonderful photo of Mt. Hood. The tea party social sounds like so much fun; would be interesting to see all the different teacups and teapots that showed up. I'm not a knitter but even with crochet, I'm not so good if there's gotta be some math figuring involved. :) Have a great day.

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  2. Gracie your flower baskets and your bleeding heart flowers are just so pretty and to think that you can see Mt. Hood from your home is wonderful. I know how much you love views of that mountain. You have found such a wonderful place to live. I love your condo and would love to have one for Dennis and I right next door. Oh, the fun we would have together. If Mandy had stayed in Portland, I know where I would have searched for my home in retirement. I'm so glad that it's a good group of people there for you to socialize with. Is there a crafting group there?
    Praying that you have a wonderful Sunday and that you know how much this friend loves you.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  3. What a neat and positive post! How neat is it to have green things surprise you with flowers in your new home and garden. The Calla lilies are soooo cool. Your lavender bleeding hearts are wild ones, I think. I do so enjoy knitting one of those dishcloths.. I need to do that. How neat that you can see Mt. Hood from across the street!! I'm SO glad you rescued your wilted hanging baskets.. I've learned that the bigger the basket the more the soil retains moisture. What a neat tea party!! And I love the new red and white check tablecloth.. I hope to visit again soon. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  4. Your flowers are beautiful Gracie! My roses are blooming outside our living room window. I was just outside looking at my lovely plants. Moved the peony into the sun so maybe it'll bloom soon. I clicked on link about washcloth pattern. Saw some towels that hang on doors. My daughter in love showed me a book she got off Amazon. Weekend knitting with washcloths and towels. May get patterns off Ravalry instead. Make some for gifts for Christmas...a good idea. Have good weekend my friend!

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  5. Beautiful Gracie and so lovely seeing where you now live and happy you are enjoying all that is offered and also making friends. It is very cold here today and we are getting ready to hitch up and get on the road North in Oz warmer temps we may chase to get away from winter here xoxo

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  6. Beautiful flowers and a view of your beloved Mt Hood, what could be better. I am so glad to read that you are settling so well. The dishcloths are lovely Gracie, made with love so it doesn't matter if one is wonky...

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  7. The view over your roof top is amazing. I really like the idea of living in a community where you can participate in social activities. Moving to a new place can be lonely and having the opportunity to meet people at social gatherings is a blessing. Easier than talking to strangers over the garden fence. The bleeding heart flowers are so beautiful. I don't think I have ever seen one here in Scotland but I imagine they would do well as our climate is quite similar to yours. Well done for persisting with the hanging baskets, they are marvellous! xx

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  8. Gracie, your new home is just filled with beautiful flowers and it is so welcoming. I hope you are making friends and enjoying your beautiful view. Love your dishcloths no matter the size of the border. Wishing you a beautiful day.

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  9. Thank you so much for including photos of your blooming bleeding hearts! One of my favs😊 I'm happy that you can keep an eye out on my beloved (and your beloved) Mt Hood! She's a beautiful one for sure! Have a good Memorial Day.
    Peace, Aimee

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  10. Hi Gracie,
    I loved seeing your bleeding heart and all of your other lovely flowers. We have tried so hard to get calla lilies to grow in our yard with no luck. Do you live in the Portland area?

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  11. Hi Gracie, your many flowers are truly beautiful! I have calla lilies in pots on my patio. No rhodies here in SoCal but I do have camellias.
    It's apparent that you are enjoying your new home.

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  12. I'm glad you're enjoying your new home, pretty flowers and spectacular views. I like your new tablecloth for the summer and your dishcloths, no matter the size. Cathy x

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  13. Lovely to catch up with you here dear Gracie. Your flower pictures are so beautiful, and it all looks lovely. So glad you are settled in to your new home and life there. Your pretty gingham table cloth is perfect for the late spring and summer, and I love the little dishcloths you've been making. Have a happy week! XXX

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  14. Loving all the lovely flowers in your new neighbourhood. Sounds like you have settled well. B x

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  15. Re the dishcloth: I think to make it more square you need another row or two at the beginning and at the end. Try starting with, and decreasing to, 2 stitches. (Even so it will be slightly rounded. I do grandmother's dish cloths with 3 stitch edging and my starting and ending corners are never truly square.)

    What lovely flowers, especially the rhodies! I've never seen those here - they are the very essence of red, aren't they?

    So glad to hear you have found a new home. Blessings on it!

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  16. I love your hanging baskets, dear Gracie, they remind me of the best kind of British pubs we've seen in London. I remember one pub owner telling me that they water them almost every day when it doesn't rain. The weather has been a bit crazy here and not too kind to my potted flowers. I've been on vacation and left them well watered but didn't count on a sudden heatwave and now it is very cloudy and windy so they are getting a lot of exercise :-)
    Amalia
    xo

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