Warmer days have brought out some of the flowers on our property. The daffodils are just coming out, but I do not think their bloom production will be good this year. I forgot to fertilize them last fall, and they don’t have enough phosphorus stored in the bulbs. The largest bed usually has a lot more flowers.
But the ones that are blooming in other areas are lovely.
I love the pale yellow cups on the creamy white petals.
Another patch has all dark yellow cups on lighter yellow petals. The funny thing is that they are all facing away from the drive so I can’t see their faces unless I tromp into the island.
The cherry tree on the edge of the meadow next to the forest is blooming with pretty pale pink flowers.
In the front flowerbed, I tore out all the iris rhizomes and gave them away. What is left are tulips and gladiolas, and they are coming up.
I didn’t take a lot of bird photos this week. But I did get a couple of good ones one day. The goldfinches are still in transition to their summer frocks.
This chickadee is cute, and sings his heart out in the mornings.
The mountainside out back is covered in tiny purple vincas, a ground cover that is prolific.
Inside the Carolina room, one of the geraniums has a small bloom. We are still a month away from being able to move it to the veranda.
While I was watering those plants, I decided to remove the leaves from the amaryllis. I had almost given up on it, as it didn’t bloom last year. I had fertilized it, but no go. The leaves stayed green and it never seemed to go dormant. But I removed the leaves left over from last year, even though they were green. They pulled off really easily, and a day later, a new leaf appeared.
A couple of days later, there were three leaves!
The orchid is making progress on it’s flower spike, and it looks like there may be two blooms. So exciting for me, as it hasn’t given me blooms every year.
Cold days between these warm ones are a hallmark of the month of March. On one sewing day, I pulled out my bowl cozy for a hot lunch of turkey and shell pasta soup.
I use this one all the time, but it is the only one I’ve made. The Mexican food fabric is cute. While I was eating, I noticed my apple orchard fabric. That print would be adorable on a cozy, and a way for me to enjoy the print that I just love. So, I pulled it out, cut some 10-inch squares and started in.
I sewed batting to the outer layer from corner to corner. Then I sewed the darts.
Sew the darts on the lining layer.
Place the lining right sides together with the base, and stitch around the edge, leaving an opening for turning. Clip the corners, turn, and press. Then topstitch around the edge to finish and enclose the opening.
Such a cute print!
I am really into making small projects right now for the upcoming fair this fall. Bowl cozies might do well, so I’ll make a few more of those. I have these fabrics left over from my Chicken Table Topper project, and next I need to figure out how I can use them. I’ve only had them for three years, but I think they may have aged long enough in the closet.
The Worldwide Quilt Day exhibit went wonderfully. I took a lot of pictures, and will show them to you next week.
Did you do something fun over the weekend?
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From My Carolina Home 
Your bowl cozies are really cute! I need to get going and make some. We have daffodils in our yard left by the previous owners but they never bloom. What kind of fertilizer do we need to start putting on them? I love flowers but it seems like I just look at them and they wither☹️. I also bought a small orchid at the grocery store but it didn’t do well either, poor little thing. Is it true you only need to put one ice cube on them once a week to water them? I’d love to try again but I hate to murder another innocent plant😢.
My daughter requested bowl cozies for Christmas one year, so I made a set for her birthday. They are pretty easy and a great scrap buster. Could you fussy cut any of those chickens for some? They would be really fun! I had make up lessons this weekend, but not too many so finished off my potholders…trying to use the scraps on special fabrics as I go instead of cutting them up and adding to the piles. I finished three, and have moved on to my EPP project, that has been waiting for months.
I had a bunch of daffodils that started blooming less and then I read they can get too crowded. I separated them and they now bloom like crazy again. Also, the amaryllis need a good dormant period. In October cut off their leaves, put them in the basement or dark closet and don’t water them. Get them out a few months later, change the soil and start watering. You can start the process in August if you want Christmas flowers. Good luck.
I never fertilize my bulbs and the are fine without me fussing at them – the soil among all the trees must be right. Glad you got some daffodils.
Your daffodils are so pretty, Carole! I like the ones with the white petals, too. I need to remember to plant some of those this fall. Fingers crossed that you will get an amaryllis bloom sometime soon! I went to a display of Hawaiian quilts at our local museum yesterday – they were amazing! We hadn’t been to the museum in awhile, so we enjoyed looking around at the other exhibits, too.
Carole,
I agree that bowl cozies will sell well! Someone I knew made 50 for a bazaar and they all sold.
I read your last blog today. I like your birthday challenge quilt! Good luck with the voting! The 3-d cupcake is incredible!
Jo Anne
The bowl cozies are a great idea. The Mexican food fabric is too cute. My daffodils are finished. They were beautiful while blooming. Have a great week, Carole!
I have an orchid that is outside in a sheltered part of the deck. We don’t have snow to worry about, just the odd frost. I’ve had it there for years. Every few years I haul it out, chop it apart, share it with others and replant some and away it goes again. I do fertilise it now and then and it likes to be watered especially in summer and it gives me prolific blooms.
I like your bowl warmers, think I shall make some because it doesn’t seem to matter how quick you are to the table the soup gets cool. I like my soup tongue blistering hot!!
On your good advice my daffodils have cosied down with a nice feed of bone meal so, fingers crossed, I should be able to enjoy flowers next spring rather than lovely green leaves.
Mary :))
Carole, I just love those bowl cozies. Your newest one is a really cute print. Definitely make more, I would suggest.
Our garden is waking up much like yours. I’m happy to see my transplanted daffodils doing well, but I will have to do some strategic pruning of boxwoods harmed through winter. I’m wondering why you dug out all your iris rhizomes? Were they too crowded? Mine will soon get that way. It’s been four years, but I want to keep them.
I love your bird captures. I had written a comment a few weeks ago when the bluebirds were taking up residence, but lost that comment somehow. They are such a beautiful bird. I’ve never hosted them, but a sister does almost every year
Have a great week. I hope these tornadic storms didnt have you in harm’s way. We had a burst early this morning with hail and high winds, but it wasn’t damaging.
Thanks, I will be making a lot more of those cozies.
The stupid irises just wouldn’t bloom. I tried dividing them multiple times, ending up with three beds and giving away a bag full. I kept the rhizomes uncovered, babied them for several years until I just couldn’t do it anymore. I gave up, dug them up and gave them away. Maybe the light wasn’t right, I don’t know. But I will be planting perennials in that bed and hoping for success this year.
We had a lot of wind and rain last night, but no additional damage to what Helene did.
So much fun in this post, Carole! Your spring has definitely sprung, hasn’t it? I love seeing all the different kinds of daffs. They really are one of my favorites. Very cute fabric for your baskets!
Daffodils and tree blossom really let you know Spring is on the way. And they are so pretty.