I'm on Resweater!

Tomorrow morning my recent tutorial for beaded coasters is being featured on Resweater's blog! How fun!

Check it out here!

And if you want to purchase any...check that out here!

Crown of Thorns

While driving from the airport to our hotel during my recent trip to Naples, FL,  I saw clumps of pinkish flowers growing all over - especially in the median on the highways.

Once we arrived at our hotel, lo-and-behold, the same plants were there as well. After bending down to see what this plant was that had captured my attention, it only took one moment to realize with much delight that it was Crown of Thorns.

It has been many years since I've seen a Crown of Thorns. When I was in my late teens, my grandma gave me a clipping of her plant. I had it for several years before it decided to quit flourishing for me. But I've alway loved the plant (even though much of it is poisonous if ingested).

My first thought when seeing it again was that I should take a clipping to take back home with me. But would that be stealing? (It's always been a question for me if taking seeds from flowers that don't belong to me...like in a planter in a downtown area...is stealing. I say no. :-) Would the plant survive if I took a tiny stem? How do you get clippings from this plant - I couldn't remember the proper way? If I was caught taking some, would I get thrown in the Naples slammer? I decided that I wouldn't take the chance.

But it sure was a treat to see if growing and blooming so beautifully all over the landscape. Hmmm...I may just have to do a quick google search and see if I should get another plant for myself after all these years...the totally-legal way.

Yup. Spring Has Sprung!

Ahhhh. The beautiful sign of spring has popped it's cute little green head out of the still cold ground. I love it.

Springtime means cleaning up yards, fresh air, open windows, clothes hanging on clotheslines, little green heads popping out of the ground, renewed energy, happy faces, lowering (or turning off) thermostats, daily slathering lotion on feet - because it's quickly becoming sandal-time, walks, gardening and wool.  (Thought I'd just throw the last one in to see if you're really listening. :-)

Happy Spring.  It's officially here. I don't always go by when the calendar says it's the first day of spring - I judge spring's arrival by chives. When they've worked their way through the soil for me to grab a stem and smell the fresh smell of chive - that's when spring has arrived!

PS. I'm now on a new Mac laptop (thanks to a good friend!) - and I'm even having a fresh new springtime start with a virus-free computer!

Sick Again. Darn!

I've been absent from the blog scene for a bit now. I was out of town for work for six days and just returned. Sunny Florida! It was great - but cooler than it normally is right now. But the sunshine still felt very good.

Also, upon my return, I've found that I still have a virus on my computer. I thought it was cleared up - but obviously it wasn't. So, I'm on a new clean-up mission. Please be patient with me while I work my way through it - and wish me luck!