Rain from the East

Rain from the East

Three Days at Least!

 

 

Do you have this saying where you live?  Today we're getting pummeled with a high east wind and rain.  East winds usually bring rain, and it's almost always true that we have three days of bad weather when it's driven in from the east.  I prefer our warm westerly winds which we had throughout the weekend. 

 

My mother used to quote these weather warnings with each change in the weather.  I always liked "Winter's thunder is the world's wonder".  I've heard thunder during a snowstorm once, and it made such a strange combination.  Surprisingly, most of the sayings come to pass.  My grandfather was a farmer and he worked with a close eye on the weather each day.  If you see birds flying in rain, the rain will last all day.  The birds are trying to fly out there today, but in this wind I don't know how they're not getting their wings snapped!  They're eating some seeds I put in the feeder for the goldfinches on the weekend.  Now I'm out of seeds, but I want to get some more to encourage more birds to my backyard this spring and summer.

 

I'm thankful that we're not in a tornado zone such as the folks who have suffered in the southern States these past two days.  Tragic news of the tornadoes tearing apart homes and families there.  My neighbour is losing his tented gazebo on his deck (he's out there taking it apart in this awful wind as I write this).  He won't be happy as it's the second tented gazebo he has lost to winds.  I'm keeping my eye on our pine tree which is being battered pretty heavily ... so far, so good ... but its days are numbered I'm afraid.  We're already thinking of what we can plant as a replacement.

 

 

I just came from outside to bring up my son's bundle of newspapers for delivery, and heard the wind moaning ominously through the bare branches of a large red maple overhanging our driveway.  It sits right on the edge of the hill that lines our driveway, so I hope its roots are good and deep and hold it tight in the ground.

 

Now that my taxes are filed, I've got free time in the evenings again.  I read on Sue's blog that she crocheted some little treat baskets at Easter (scroll down to her third photo mosaic).  I thought they were really cute, and tried my hand at making a knitted version.  It's not finished yet, but this is what I came up with ...

 

 

I wanted to have a little 'cuff' around the top.  The above photo has the cuff turned up, and below is with it turned inside and stitched down.  I thought it would make it sturdier, but I'm not sure I like it.  Maybe the cuff would look better turned to the outside.  Hmm ... what do you think?

 

 

It still needs a little handle.  When I make something and it's not turning out as I envisioned it, I loose interest in it and don't even want to complete it.  Maybe I could frog it and try again.  It just looks too chunky for my liking, and doesn't have that sweetness I was aiming for.

 

I haven't been very creative this spring and find I can't decide what to make now.  The thought of starting anything makes me sort of cringe, so I thought this little basket would help.  I tried making some other little novelty items, but I couldn't get into them and I have about three unfinished little bits lying forgotten in a box somewhere.  blah  It gets worse when every blog I read is full of creative endeavours that look so beautiful!

 

I did get out to do some gardening on the weekend, however, and pulled the rest of the garden furniture into the yard.  We have yard waste collection this week, so I wanted to be sure to have a boastful number of full garden bags at the curb to show I've been getting things in shape like my neighbours.  Keeping up with the Jones'!  At this point it's just raking leaves and pine needles that sifted into my yard over the fence this winter.

 

I hope you're all having a nice week, and that the weather is better, not worse, than what we're experiencing.  This coming weekend my little family of four is off to visit my in-laws in the southern-most tip of Ontario.  I'll share more on that later.  Truthfully ... I'm not looking forward to any of this weekend except for the fact that it's a road trip, and I like road trips.  The town where we're headed does have a very nice provincial park on the outskirts, but I'm not sure time will allow a visit there.  I'll take my camera just in case.  Thanks for stopping by today my friends!  I'm now off to make a little snack to eat while I watch the water pouring over the clogged(!) eaves troughs :[

 

Wendy

 

 

Red-winged Blackbird ... my favourite bird song of spring :)