one more, a task, and abundant blooms

I have to say I was very surprised by all the positive comments about the willow card, so, thank you all. I finished the red oak leaf and I think I’m done for now. 

I may do more in the future but I have cleaned off my small work table, put the watercolor pencils and crayons and paper and brushes away. I have some sewing things that need doing so that’s what I’m turning my attention to now.

I spent the day Friday doing house things. First I cleaned out the linen closet which hasn’t been done since we first moved into this house about 15 years ago. 

I emptied it…extra pillows, blankets, sheets and pillow cases, air mattresses…and spread it all out in the hall: five sets of sheets that we currently use ( two of which the bottom fitted sheet needs some repair), one set of flannel sheets that we haven’t used in 20 years probably, one extra top sheet, and 21 pillow cases not being currently used including 6 extra long ones from early in our marriage when we had extra long down pillows and five flannel ones; three blankets, one lap blanket, a bedspread, a tattered quilt, a hammock, 4 pillows, a heating pad, and an extra shower curtain. I weeded out 16 pillow cases, the lap blanket, the quilt, the flannel sheets, and the lone top sheet. I'm donating all that except the quilt and lap blanket to the Austin animal shelter where Jade works. She says they use it for bedding for the animals. Then I rearranged it putting the air mattresses on the top shelf getting them off the floor. 

And because that apparently wasn’t enough work for one day I vacuumed the whole house and mopped the kitchen, the hall, and the dining room area (well, I used a Swiffer).

I had to stop and pull into the driveway of the shop on my way to SHARE last Thursday to take a picture of the morning glory bush. I can see it over the fence and it was just magnificent. I’ve never had one bloom this profusely, like bouquets, so you're getting three pictures.

Speaking of blooming profusely, I noticed a couple of weeks ago that the night blooming cereus was putting on another round of blooms. Last week I stopped counting the buds at 30. Thursday afternoon I counted 35 that were on the verge of opening. I went out at 10 pm with the flashlight and no, not that night but def the next. 

So Friday evening I set my alarm for 11 pm but went out with the flashlight at half past 10 and whoa! All but two of the 35 had opened, some in clusters the buds were so close together. She certainly earns the name Queen of the Night.

Hard to pick just a few.