Let the afghan begin and other tales....

I am sure I must have mentioned in an earlier post that I was going to knit an afghan per Ashton's request. This afghan was to cover her bed in her dorm room when she left for college in August 2009. Well, ahem, she decided to commute daily so the afghan project was put on hold. I was able to make some more hats and scarves and that was that. Well now Miss Ashton has decided to live on campus (good choice!) so Mom has got to get those knitting needles going....I am almost done with one panel and have about 8 or so to go. She may be taking just a half-afghan to school if I don't get this done. Its getting to be so nice out that I like to spend my down time in my garden or taking a nice walk and the knitting just sits....
Here is a body pillow for her dorm room. She and I went to Target one day this past week and guess what? She came home with the coveted pillow she had wanted to buy during an earlier visit but decided after much discussion with her mother that she had plenty of time to choose her bedding for college.Well what can I say, you might as well buy the matching sheets and comforter to go along with the pillow while you are there....and especially when one has been "dreaming" about this very same set since one laid eyes on it the week before...

This past week has been a little more "spring-y". Once daily savings time starts, I will wait for Mark to get home from work and together we walk either next door on the Zak Preserve, Ovens Mouth east or west, Linekin Preserve or the Porter Preserve http://boothbayregionlandtrust.org/. AHEM... if you check out the website, be sure to check out the "Treasures of the Trust" calendar of events. Under the September 11th date is a photo of sunflowers that I took! I was tickled pink when I was asked if the BRLT could use my photo in the new calendar. I had arrived!! Before heading out to walk on Tuesday I discovered this pretty little flower on a small bush in my garden. I cannot remember what the bush is called (help Aunt Jean!) but I was so pleased to see it survived the long, cold winter. The previous two photos of a blue heron were taken with using my zoom lens. The bird was across the river from the trail we were on and I was lucky to have a "bird's eye" view of it. We are awaiting the arrival of the heron that visits our marshy backyard each spring. These ferns popped right out with their gorgeous green color. They looked as if they had been carefully placed there. The boys taking a rest...and here is a photo of Ovens Mouth east, looking across from the west trail. We have kayaked through here a few times from our home and it is a peaceful trip. And I found another heart rock....On our walk late Wednesday on Porter Preserve we found this little group of jonquils (??) down on the shore line. There was a home located there close to a hundred years ago but all that is left is a foundation and well. It was nice to see something growing near all the foundation rocks and right near where the tide comes in. How peaceful is this? We like to stop here on our hike and just "rest". The bench is set up on a huge rock and gives a most wonderful view of some little islands in the river as well as a rock at low tide that harbors lots of seals. We saw a few seals this day lounging about. The photo below is a neat rock from an old stonewall that we hiked by on our way out. And last but not least, a perfect spot to spell out "Stellan" in a sheltered cove. http://www.mycharmingkids.net/ I have been looking for a perfect place to send out my "Stellan". Note on the right hand side there is a heart-shaped rock that Mark found while I was making the sign so it was added to the message. P.S. I just checked out Stellan's name gallery and my sign is there, along with hundreds of others.
Friday afternoon Mark put the bluebird boxes up after carefully reading an article my Aunt Jean sent me called "Bringing Back The Bluebirds". The article was perfect, explaining how to put up the box and where it should be located. http://norcrossws.org/html/bluebirds.htm Just in case I haven't mentioned lately (ahem) that we had two male bluebirds in the yard from the end of January through the end of March. We had much enjoyment watching the bluebirds and my Uncle Ken very nicely and efficiently made us some bluebird boxes. I hope the boxes will hold bluebird families this spring and summer. The vacancy sign is out! Yesterday Mark and I headed out along the main highway that goes by our home and picked up the litter. Mark made a day of it last spring and once again in the fall and yesterday's haul is shown below. The sad thing is that this is the result of collecting approximately 1/4 miles round-trip from our driveway. Grrr....Its not my favorite thing to do on a beautiful and sunny Saturday but I felt much better after picking up all the trash. If we all would just do a little bit wouldn't that be wonderful? Of course if people didn't throw trash out of car windows we wouldn't have to spend time cleaning up! The haul was quite interesting, two tires, two hub caps (Chrysler and Ford) a smashed cell phone and across the road its battery, lots and lots and lots of cigarette butts, and fast food trash galore and many soda bottles. We found a grocery list, special order tag for a construction company, dead birds (that we left alone), and various pieces that might have one day been a shelving unit. Friday night I saw a big turkey across the brook. I was able to zoom in from my living room window and caught perhaps a "rendezvous" in the making! Oh was Mr. Turkey strutting his stuff....And there she was, the objection of his affection! Another P.S. I was just finishing up my post when two eagles soared overhead. It was amazing to see two at once, usually we just have one here. I was mesmerized by the graceful soaring they did as the pair made their way towards my neighbors homes.