Drbarb’s Weblog

Had a huge snowstorm here last week – 12.5 inches. It was really beautiful while it was coming down – set all kinds of records! But the damage it did to our trees is something else.This magnolia tree is going to have to removed. The weight of the snow toppled most of the branches. Same with our live oak and yaupon hollies in the  front although the damage wasn’t quite as bad on them.  Last year at this time I already had my spring garden in the ground. Seems like this year I am spending my time doing damage control. We have had a wet cold winter and there is more to come.

That hasn’t kept me from buying seed packets, however and deciding which type of tomatoes I am going to buy this year or what relish or jelly I am going to enter in the state fair. Thinking green tomato relish?

Has been raining for weeks now – very unusual for Texas. Good time to get things done indoors but ready for some sun! I find I am able to motivate myself much more easily when the sun is out .

Anyhow I am going to be selling some of my knitting and other fiber art at the Lakewood Home Festival on November 14th and 15th. This past weekend I atmepted more nunofeltng and am pleased with the outcome. The scarf is a combination of blue merino wool and silk hankies that I dyed. Am pretty pleased – it is soft  - love the colors. Here it is…..

And a closeup……

A few weeks ago I needlefelted and wet felted this yellow scarf. I dyed the silk scarf a pale green and decided to go with the yellow – more of a spring color but I like the final product.

And one more. I just noticed that ruffles are in this year. My daughter saw a similar scarf at a yarn shop when I was visiting in Seattle – actually a shop in Bellevue. She said she loved it – so I found some similar yarn and knitted it up – pretty easy and really ruffly!

Will post more of my items soon. And BTW I was embarrassed to note that I posted the cute picture of my grandson and me twice! Maybe it is all this rain or just a senior moment!

I spent a week in Seattle and just now realized I never blogged about it. Guess Oprah and the cucumbers got me off track!!
Here is a picture of my daughter’s beautiful heirloom tomatoes – the gardening gene has passed on.

And I finally taught Stella how to knit. She was so proud of herself!

Here is a cute picture of S and S and their dog – Mersey – an 18 month old Australian Shepherd.

And finally here is the family waiting for the school bus on the first day of school AND a picture of a very loose front tooth!

See what I mean – definitely growing up too fast.

Cooler days, pumpkins all over the place and Halloween just around the corner. Here are pictures of little Grace at the arboretum.



And here is a birthday cake I made for a friend last week. I made real buttercream frosting – so good and worth the effort! I substituted regular cocoa for dutch processed and found out it wasn’t as good – a little dry and not as flavorful.

I decorated it with a caladium leaf and a penta flower. Will definitely do the buttercream again and will buy some dutch processed cocoa!
Am going to two different garden tours today so need to get going. I will pick and choose gardens from each tour but it is going to be a beautiful day today and this is one of my favorite things to do- will post pictures!

My grandson and I visited the Texas Discovery Gardens new indoor butterfly house a couple of weekends ago. It is wonderful. Met one of my gardening friends there and he took a snapshot of us watching the butterflies!


And here is a picture of a butterfly that landed on my grandson – he wasn’t leaving until one landed on him. Proud of him for being so patient.

We have had cool weather and rain for the last several days. So still waiting to get my fall veggies in. Texas State Fair starts tomorrow and it is going to be sunny and in the low 80′s – perfect!

Am so embarrassed that I didn’t know what kind of cucumbers I grew so I did some research today and found out what they were – Armenian! I thought I had purchased some type of Asian cucumber but had thrown out the seed packet last Spring. I will definitely plant them again – they were both delicious and prolific and BIG – see my previous post!

Am getting ready to put in my Fall vegetable crop – broccoli, kale, lettuce, beets and maybe some turnips. Already have two tomato plants in and my eggplant is still producing. Also have some cherry tomatoes in a pot that are still going. Of course, I have tons of herbs as always.

BTW we found out here in North Texas that Oprah is coming to the State Fair on October 12th  Not sure if my cucumbers will be featured but at least I now know what variety they are! Think that would teach me to save seed packets!