In a Moss Ball on Monday

Joining in with Cathy’s In a Vase on Monday

A rooted cutting from a ‘Money Plant’ or Crassula Portulacea (I think?), just right to make into a piece of Kokodama as a gift for a fellow blogger with a penchant for succulents.

I had the most brilliant day yesterday – all due to commenting on Noelle’s Snowdrop post a couple of weeks ago. Following an exchange of comments and Noelle’s generous invitation, Noelle, Alison and I all met up at the Bishop’s Palace in Wells for the Snowdrop Celebration.

The day was cold but the sunshine bright

Look at that sky!

So much beauty to see

and Cathy – so many wonderful witchhazels

 

We had the best time – more photos to share in a future post

So, thank you from the tip of my toes to the top of my head to Cathy for her fabulous Monday meme which brought us together, Noelle for the suggestion and generous hospitality and Alison for joining us to make it such a wonderful day.Noelle  ~  Alison  ~  Me

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In a Vase: White

Cathy, of Rambling in the Garden, has been inspired by Christina, of My Hesperides Garden  this week and is celebrating blogging friendship with a vase full of beautiful white flowers from her garden – which in turn has inspired my vase.

This little white jug has Tiarella Sky Rocket, a self seeded white lavender, saxifrage and erigeron.

The props are some crocheted daisies ready to adorn a blanket for Miss E. I started this way back in April last year, doing the many squares for the border has halted the process, but it is her birthday coming up and I really want to finish the blanket in time.

Here it is without a border

and here is the border in progress with daisies arranged by Miss E

40 squares and 12 daisies and so many ends to sew in!

I am also creating a pattern for the blanket so that if I ever did want to make one again (?!) I will have the instructions to hand. This will be available as a free pattern for anyone else who would like to give it a go.

White flowers are my favourite and despite the heavy rain this morning I managed to find some in the garden for another vase

In the vase on the left there is feverfew, astrantia, and a perennial white wallflower with a gorgeous scent, especially at dusk.

The vases are sitting amongst the pot plants: a white orchid,

Streptocarpus Rhiannon

and Streptocarpus Myfanwy

Do pop on over to see Cathy’s vase and all the others that come pouring in from all over the world always lifting a Monday with beauty.

Also joining in with Cee’s Flower of the Day.

Happy Monday!

Update: Some photos of the plant which I think is a perennial white wallflower

Am I right?

Fern

ideas like lightning

strike me by surprise, and when

it rains it pours

~

Joining in with our weekly Photo Challenge: FERN

One of my granddaughters has Fern as her second name and I have been trying to crochet some fern fronds to decorate a birthday card for her. I’m also wondering about using them for appliqué on a knitted jacket.

Here are my trial runs:

Not quite there yet. I used Lucy’s pattern as a starting point, but wanted to include a curl at the top. Rainbow Jane has a lovely picture of this on her FERN photo challenge entry.

I’m thinking they would be even better made in fine crochet cotton, I hope I can find the right colour – the right shade of green can be tricky to find.

Ferns seem to be growing in with my orchids, spores must be in the orchid compost. I used one of the leaves to see what effect it would have on my dyed paper – subtle, but I like it.

More ferns in a doodled mandala I drew when I was learning from Alisa Burke’s Online Mandala Workshop. With my granddaughter’s second name in mind I drew this mandala for her, with fern fronds at the centre.

This frothy fern sits on a stand in my bedroom window

I have no idea of its name but I love its delicate cascade.

Do you have any photos of ferns you would like to enter in our Photo Challenge this week? Just leave a link in the comments.

Also joining in with Ronovan’s Haiku Challenge with his prompt words of

LIGHTNING and RAIN

~

Next Week’s Photo Prompt

FRIVOLOUS

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Kalanchoe party

There is a bit of a Ta Dah! moment going gone in my sitting room at the moment. Although it is still pretty chilly outside, I don’t think I will be having any more fires and to celebrate I have gathered some of my flowering houseplants together on the wood-burner. Apart from the orchids, I have grown all of them from cuttings which is immensely satisfying. But it is the kalanchoes I’m particularly pleased with as they have not flowered for about 3-4 years and I was considering throwing them out when last November I noticed some buds forming – patience rewarded! And now they are really putting on a show!