So, the whole country is watching the east coast for a second time this late winter / early spring day. I know what I’m talking about when I say that two nor’easters in one week is a big, old bitch. See, weather like that is one of the MAJOR reasons Tom and I picked up in 2015 and moved to New Mexico. From Massachusetts. Yeah, we’re both native New Englanders, but we got tired of the winters.
Don’t get me wrong, snow’s pretty and fun to play in. I don’t even mind shoveling (now and again; we had a snow blower). BUT that self-same snow is only lovely for a day or so, then it gets all nasty and brownish-gray. Out here in Albuquerque we can drive forty minutes around the Sandia Mountains and visit snow. The dog loves it. Then we get back in our car and head home where this winter it’s been mostly in the 50s and 60s. Hey, that’s not typical, and because we’ve had very little snow in the mountains, we’re back in a drought situation. Which means that there’ll be a BAD fire season. (We won’t be affected by that, but I have friends who most definitely will be.) Don’t even start me on the juniper poison pollen that’s been out since January. It’s something we never even considered when we chose a new home.
Nonetheless, yesterday a few of us from the guild were doing our usual gig demo-ing rug hooking at Albuquerque’s Botanic Garden, part of the BioPark. (We’re there the 1st and 4th Tuesdays each month except June and July when they kick us out for summer kid programs.) There was a good breeze going, and temps were in the low 50s (oddly enough lower than the norm), so it was a slow day in the park. I figure folks are waiting till it hits 70 tomorrow and Friday.
It was a good time to wander outside and look for spring.
AWAG demos at the Rio Grande Heritage Farm, a section of the Botanic Garden. The farm’s a reproduction representing a New Mexican farm circa somewhere between 1925 and 1935. We hang in the farmhouse or out on the porch in rocking chairs when it’s nice. Out back there’s an apple orchard. They’ve got a vineyard too! And then there’s the barn with its requisite farm animals. Fun times, though not with one of the sheep yesterday. 🙁
I thought I’d share some of the signs of early spring at “our” farm. Enjoy!
Meanwhile back at the Salamy homestead, Tynan’s back with “What’s on the frame.”
What’s on your frame today?
I am getting nothing done! We were away and now it’s Peter’s birthday and we have guests coming in two weeks and the upstairs is a disaster from the painting… I can’t seem to find a minute to myself. Spring is here and one of the away times was going with the garden club to GA on a plant buying trip! Very fun. I got about a dozen things, including a cascade hops vine for Peter. It has been cold, but this weekend looks good so I will get them planted. The peas are up and I need to get the carrots and spinach planted.
I did actually finish a lone star quilt, but I’m saving that post for another time. My friend with the quilt store and I are going to do a lone star extravaganza, I think.
Love your sunflowers!
Hops! Does he make beer with them? You know, we can’t have a big garden any more. I kind of miss them, but not the work honestly. During the summer, I often have to water twice; if I can’t find someone to water, how can I go anywhere? But we do need to make some changes and increase both curb and backyard appeal. The GA trip sounds fun. What is a Lone Star Extravaganza??? AH, the sunflowers never fail to cheer me up. 🙂
Peter made beer a long time ago, before there were so many craft breweries. The vines are lovely and they flowers smell good. A friend went to Australia last year and said they served beer with a hop flower floating on the top!
Lone star extravaganza, meaning having lots of quilts with lots of variations of the lone star pattern.
I love all the colors you are using in the sunflower. I bought a perennial sunflower on the GA trip. I think it will be like the big plants by the side of the road with sunflower blossoms on them. I have trouble getting sunflower seeds to start and then the animals like them until they are bigger.
You know, I finally saw a hops plant just last year. A day after watching a show on beer amazingly enough. It was in the botanic garden near where we do demos. Unfortunately, I don’t drink the stuff. Tom bemoans that to 2 of my college friends (guys). Tells them they should’ve taught me better. Take a pic of your sunflower when it comes up!