O.K. here is a reality check

This is the craft table after some days of, shall we call it creativity?

Whew!

Have you ever had a day that felt like 5 days?

I had one of those today.

I woke up to a lovely breakfast with the Hubby and the Hug-a-Bugs.

Next, I finished the Mothers Day present that I made for my Mom, a felted Cardinal from the Wooly Birds Pattern by Marie Mayhew.

Then, the Elder Hug-a-Bug and I spent second breakfast with my Mom and Dad and Sister for a little Barden Mothers Day Fun. Then only thing missing was my little bro, he had his own family plans today.

When we came home, the Elder Hug-a-Bug and I weeded the garden and planted some plants that have been in their pots outside in the rain for the last few days.

After the gardening, during which the Elder Hug-a-Bug planted her first snap dragon plant without any help!,we went to the park and she played the girl who is being chased by stuff and the other girls at the park obliged her by being lions or wolves or whatever they thought might chase someone.

Still not done with the Mothers Day Festivities, I had a concert to sing this afternoon.

That's me on the right.

The Hubby did his best with the Hug-a-Bugs, but the Younger one just wanted to come up and say hi.

They made it through about 2 songs, and then they went home.

My Mom and Dad and Sister were able to keep from being too rowdy and they decided to stay to the end.

Tonight was our last concert of the season and I kept getting a little choked up in places.

One of our songs is Set Me as a Seal by Rene Clausen.

My Soprano buddy told us that Clausen wrote the piece for his wife after she had miscarried a pregnancy and it always gets me when we sing "For Love is strong as Death"

After the concert I came home and had a nice dinner with the fam, and we went on a walk to the DQ for dessert.

I always feel like it cancels out any poor eating that we may do at the Dairy Queen if we walk the 5 blocks there and then the 5 blocks back.

I can't think of a nicer way to spend my Mothers Day than doing all of the things that I love with the people that I love the most in this big ol' world.

I hope that next year can be as nice.

Happy Mothers Day Mom!

Jess

One more thing

My favorite moment of the day today:
The Hug-a-Bugs and myself took a trip to the gardening store today.
Me: "Mmmmm, smell these flowers! What do they smell like to you?"(holding up the honey-scented Alyssum)
Younger Hug-a-Bug (age 2 1/3):"Mmmm. Toast."

May from the Fifth Lamp part 2

Look at the difference a couple of days makes! Everything is greener and more Spring-y!

While I am talking about green things, can I just give some props to the weeds out there?

The wild violets are blooming and they are a sweet surprise in the middle of the lawn.

Little purple drops of loveliness.

I am also in favor of Creeping Charlie, though I don't think that my neighbors appreciate it.

I love that it fills up the spaces where grass can't or won't grow.

I also love their little blue flowers.

There, I said it.

I am pro weeds!

For this portion of the post I would like my parents and husband to look away.

Are they gone?

O.K.

I am not what you might call a clean freak.

I am not what you might call overly sanitary if it comes right down to it.

I didn't get a lot done today, but I did clean my downstairs windows for the first time this Spring.

It was really satisfying to see the light coming through the windows without the filter of months of grime.

I actually enjoyed it.

It must be Spring Fever,

talk to you soon,

Jess.

May from the Fifth Lamp

I'm gonna have to take more Fifth Lamp Photos this month than I did last month.

Spring is creeping in little by little and I am going to miss the trasformation if I'm not especially vigilant.

This is my favorite time of the year, when the trees look a little blurry with their tiny buds and leaflets.

See you again,

Jess.

My first meme.

Ms. P from the Meema Files has tagged me with a meme.
This is my first one.
Here goes.

Using the top 100 yarns on Ravelry (by number of projects):Bold the ones you’ve used and would use again;Cross out the ones you’ve used and would not use again; and Italicize the ones you’ve never tried, but would like to.
Add comments as desired, and then pass the meme along to 5 knitters/crocheters. Link back to this post and to the person who tagged you.
1. Cascade 220 Wool
2. Patons Classic Wool Merino
3. Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted
4. Noro Kureyon
5. Caron Simply Soft-----(I can't figure out the crossing out feature)
6. Lily Sugar’n Cream Solid
7. Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted
8. Red Heart Ltd. Super Saver Solids-----
9. Lion Brand Wool-Ease Solid
10. Noro Silk Garden
11. Koigu Painter’s Palette Premium Merino (KPPPM)
12. Knit Picks Wool of the Andes
13. Lion Brand Homespun-----
14. Lion Brand Cotton-Ease
15. Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Multi
16. Manos del Uruguay 100% Wool
17. Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Bulky
18. Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran
19. Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock - Lightweight
20. Plymouth Encore Worsted
21. Cascade 220 Heathers
22. Lily Sugar’n Cream Ombres & Prints
23. Zitron Trekking (XXL)
24. Patons SWS (Soy Wool Stripes)
25. Rowan Kidsilk Haze
26. Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino
27. Pisgah Yarn & Dyeing Co., Inc. Peaches & Creme Ombres
28. Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece
29. Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock - Mediumweight
30. Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick
31. Pisgah Yarn & Dyeing Co., Inc. Peaches & Creme Solids
32. Cascade 220 Superwash (in my stash)
33. Berroco Ultra Alpaca
34. Knit Picks Swish Superwash
35. Knit Picks Essential
36. Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice Solid
37. Colinette Jitterbug
38. Lion Brand Lion Wool Solid
39. Knit Picks Shine Sport
40. Dale of Norway/Dalegarn Baby Ull
41. Lion Brand Microspun
42. Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino
43. Knit Picks Palette
44. South West Trading Company TOFUtsies
45. Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool
46. Mission Falls 1824 Wool
47. Rowan RYC Cashsoft DK
48. Red Heart Ltd. Super Saver Multis/Ombres---
49. Rowan Felted Tweed
50. Rowan Calmer
51. Lion Brand Wool-Ease Heather
52. Knit Picks Merino Style
53. Garnstudio Drops Alpaca
54. Claudia Hand Painted Yarns Fingering
55. Knit Picks Andean Silk
56. Red Heart Ltd. Soft Yarn Solids
57. Elann Peruvian Highland Wool
58. Tahki Cotton Classic
59. Dream in Color Smooshy
60. Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton
61. Dream in Color Classy
62. Rowan Big Wool
63. Peace Fleece Worsted
64. Caron Simply Soft Brites
65. Plymouth Galway Worsted
66. Karabella Aurora 8
67. Rowan Wool Cotton
68. Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton
69. Knit Picks Shine Worsted
70. Brown Sheep Wildfoote Luxury Sock
71. Lion Brand Fun Fur Solid
72. Misti International Misti Alpaca Chunky
73. Handmaiden Fine Yarn Sea Silk
74. Mountain Colors Bearfoot
75. Lion Brand Jiffy Solid
76. Knit Picks Shadow
77. Bernat Softee Chunky Solids & Marls
78. Austermann Step
79. Bernat Cottontots Solid
80. Cascade Ecological Wool
81. Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud
82. Patons Shetland Chunky
83. Lion Brand Wool-Ease Chunky
84. Brown Sheep Nature Spun Worsted
85. Malabrigo Yarn Lace
86. Bernat Satin Solids
87. Lily Sugar’n Cream Stripes
88. Knit Picks Gloss
89. Lion Brand Magic Stripes
90. Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk
91. Cascade 220 Quatro
92. Rowan All Seasons Cotton
93. Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Solid
94. JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool-Silk 2/18
95. Novita 7 Veljestä
96. Rowan Kid Classic
97. Mission Falls 1824 Cotton
98. Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted Multi
99. Cascade Fixation Spray Dyed/Effects
100. Patons Kroy Socks 4-Ply

Looks like I have used 37 of the yarns and only would never use 4 again.
That's a pretty o.k. ratio.
I don't make socks, so that lets me out of most of the yarns I haven't used yet.
My problem with this meme is that Meema already tagged the knitters that I know, and I don't know if you can tag someone that you don't know. Would that be rude?
I guess I'll wait for some divine inspiration on that one.
If anyone has done one of these or would like to join in on this one please leave me a comment.
Have a great sunday.
Jess.

Tra La! It's May!!!!!

April has done its part with the showers and so forth.
Let's hope that May holds up its end of the bargain with some flowers!

Now I have to perform my traditional May 1st custom.
I must listen to "The Lusty Month of May" from Camelot at least 3 times.

Happy May!

Jess