things to love

thank you for all the birthday wishes for my son, they were much appreciated!
i had to take photos of the treasures i found last weekend and of course share them here. see the three little gnomes? they are like little rattles, someone long ago filled them with rocks or seeds to weigh them down. i think they'll add so much charm to my garden!

this is a one of a kind plate by susan branch! it is a series of three. i love the soft colors and the little mouse. can you see what she's written? it says: now i see why people like to paint these adorable creatures...i had to stop myself from putting little clothes on them ♥

and these books by sharon lovejoy. i can't say enough about them, if you love nature, gardening and children, you will love these! there is so much to choose from, projects and ideas, i don't know where to begin. thank you sharon for the inspiration, you truly do spread love and joy!

my finds: the books, the plate, a stack of old martha stewart gardening magazines, the gnomes, an old tablecloth and an old victorian finial with old peeling paint, and the color, pink! and more pink ...

my shawlette, all blocked and done. i'm not sure this is the best way to photograph it. stretching it out on nails is probably not a good idea, but lacking a model, it'll have to do.

i like to wear it as a scarf, wrapped around my neck, the wool is so soft and smells so good, it's my favorite. thank you sally anne, again, i loved this yarn. i even have enough i think to make a tiny pair of baby booties!

here is another scarf i made this week. it's a scrumptiously soft one piece scarf that you can wear long like this or...

like this, wrapped twice around your neck for a cowl. the colors don't really show, it's more of a pinky mauve. i used plymouth yarns baby alpaca grande yarn. it took two skeins on a size ten needle. the pattern was based on a mobius cowl scarf but i couldn't get the hang of the cast on for that so it's simply a continuous scarf instead. i cast on 150 stitch's, placed a marker, then purled for 4 rounds knit for 4, continuing like that until it was about 8 inches wide. that's it! so cozy and warm.

photos are taken with the softest early morning light, but it was brief since another storm is on the way, let's go outside next, owen is waiting!

bulbs are coming up! these were here when we moved in, what a fantastic discovery every year, these gorgeous yellow blooms!

owen likes them too. here he looks all mild mannered, smelling the blossoms. right after this photo he shook them all apart. oh owen.

fallen camellias make a pretty still life arranged on a mossy stepping stone...

with a little help from me!

and our oranges are almost ready. i wish you could smell this tree.

the last thing i want to remember of this week, is the thing i'd also like to forget! i went to see my dentist last monday. it involved all the shots, drills and other torture devices they treat you with. i am still numb from one of the shots, apparently there was a little muscle or nerve damage, i hope it goes away soon! my dentist mentioned that it might help me to relax if i closed my eyes and imagined a place i love. somewhere i'd like to be. i did and here is what came into my thoughts...the seventeen giraffe i saw gracefully striding across a grassy plain in zimbabwe. i love giraffes and i love africa. this image played through my head making the time i spent in that chair not so bad after all.

where would your favorite place be?

have a lovely weekend everyone !

♥ lori