The garden is coming more alive with more daffodils making an appearance. I don’t have as many as I usually do, so I have to be happy with what does bloom. These are yellow cups and petals, such a delicate color. But they got a little bedraggled in the wind that has been blowing lately.

The redbud will be in full bloom soon.

On the feeder, the goldfinches are almost fully changed into their summer frocks of bright yellow. The bluebird on the back of the feeder is the one using the birdhouse.

This is a downy woodpecker, noted for its smaller size and shorter beak.

We also have hairy woodpeckers, with longer beaks and a bit bigger in overall size.

Then the bigger red bellied woodpecker came for a meal.

I keep having to run off a huge pileated woodpecker who has learned how to hold onto the suet feeder. He’s a pig, so I chase him away so the little birds can have the food. This is an older photo, but he looks just like this.

On Saturday, getting ready to leave for a car club event, I noticed wild turkeys in the front.

The two males seemed to be competing to see who was the most fabulous. Just as I got the focus on the zoom lens, the one on the left put his feathers down. The other one stayed fluffed up.

The ladies seemed bored but the guys kept at it.

We left shortly after to meet up with a group of MINIs for run to a pottery maker’s shop. The pottery was lovely, but my focus right now is on getting rid of things, not buying more. We couldn’t do the whole run because we had a lunch we were attending. So, I don’t have the usual photos for you running through the mountains. Maybe next time.

This was a really busy week, with a Zoom on Friday with my buddies across the big pond, as Chookie logged on for a session right as I was on email. I jumped on and we got to chat for a bit until more joined in. It was 5:30 am her time, and 2:30pm my time. I haven’t made the last couple of Zooms she has hosted, so this was a treat. I worked on cutting fabric into project units for retreat next week. Virtual Retreat on Wednesday gave me some sewing time. It was fun to chat with friends as I worked on small projects. I finished these bowl cozies, and did some seat belt pillows too.

The next Virtual Retreat is scheduled for Friday, April 11, starting at 9:30 am Eastern Time to about 3:00 pm. It’s a fun way to spend a day! You will be sewing in your own sewing space, yet have all the benefits of show and tell, advice on projects, and general chat time with friends old and new, from all over the country. You can work on whatever you like. You can sew, knit, paint or just come to chat. Also, you do not need to commit to the whole day, come and go as you can. Come for a little while, or all day, pop in and out as your schedule allows! Click HERE to register.

This coming week will be three days of sewing with friends at our twice-a-year sleep-at-home retreat. Today I need to cut more fabric to make the two quilts I have in mind. One is the Japanese wall hanging, and I found the perfect gold fabric for it. I cut it into strips, and put it in a bag with the Asian prints and the book that is the inspiration. The other is a small throw size quilt in the mason jar, daisies and butterfly prints. I plan to make my Scrap Dance Twist with those.

I need to collect the elements for more small projects, then cut some squares and batting for quick bowl cozies or thread catchers. I found these bright buttons in my stash, and I think they will go great with the bright swirl print for some thread catchers. I need to find more novelty buttons, particularly some apple buttons. I’m planning to have some of these projects for sale at the Mountain State Fair, then at the Fall Fiber Fair at Beginnings on November 1, and more for our guild’s show next year. I will see how they sell and then decide what more to make.

Today I need to finish cutting kits for myself, and begin gathering all the equipment and supplies I’ll need for the retreat. Two meetings on Monday will cut into the time I have, so I have to get ready today. But I am looking forward to three whole days of sewing with friends!

What are your plans for the week?

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Sulky just released their Garden Party Mystery Box for Spring 2025!! The Garden Party theme echoes throughout the items in the Mystery Box, with floral motifs and pastel hues. You’re sure to enjoy the brand new designer fabrics inside, with threads to match in different types and weights for endless creative options. It comes with pretty fabrics, stabilizer, needles, 7 spools of thread, digital downloads and more. Check it out!! Hurry, these sell out fast!

Last chance for March deals at Fat Quarter Shop – 20% off the Basic of the Month Bee Vintage by Lori Holt (perfect for the Bee projects I have coming up!), 30% Off the Notions of the Month from Sewline, 30% off Patterns of the Month from A Quilting Life Patterns, and see the Book of the Month Simply Half Yards. Check out Today’s Flash Sale and see the Precuts of the Week, plus The Cross Stitch Sale of the Month will be from Hands on Design.