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