Asynchronous White Day

This year is unusual. Instead of enjoying 1 "white day" where all the berry plants bloom at once, we are having a "white week" with a few berry plants blooming everyday. Last year we had white day on June 3. It's May 31, and all week, we've been having a few white blooms...it is not the impressive white bloom-out as in the past. Hence the title:  "asynchronous white day." It's still pretty and we are enjoying the white blossoms longer than normal...that's not a bad thing either. Take a look:

The berries in the front of the house are going strong today...

The white blossoms are brighter than the white bark on the aspen trees

A single bloom...enjoy today as it will be gone tomorrow.

This little patch of forest I've been picturing this season...as you can see, the aspens are lush and green. A big difference from a month ago.

Spring Tulips

The tulips are blooming in Amsterdam...and in the Rocky Mountains. Here's my attempt at a tulip.

This is the perfect plant. It does not need water or sunshine. It can be talked to or ignored...and it takes a lot to kill it. 

Like I said, the perfect plant.

Another Silly

It looks like a little purse?

...but look inside...

...and there's a little surprise....

You were warned it was another silly.

Branching Out

Recently I've started crocheting items other than critters. Since I live in a desert part of the year, it seemed logical to crochet some cactus. 

 

They were a great hit, so I moved to another plant. While I'm still learning how to make flowers and trees, here's my first attempt at a tulip.

My tulip is taller than any of the critters I make, so future tulips will be downsized. There were at least two challenges to overcome with a flower. The first was the stem. The flower is heavier than a cactus; and is supported on a long stem that cannot be floppy yet not so sturdy as to hurt someone should it fall down. The second problem was the stability of the vase that has to support the weight and "floppiness" of the flower. 

My first thought was a small dowel for the stem, but it was too stiff and hard and could be used as poker and I did not think that was safe. Pipe cleaners came to mind, so I folded 3 pipe cleaners in half to make the stem and crocheted over them. The weight of the flower is supported by the 6 pipe cleaners and they are safe should the tulip fall down. It took me a bit longer to figure out how to fill the vase. Normal stuffing was not sturdy enough. I tried a small rock that fit inside the vase, and while it did stabilize the complete plant, it was not the right shape and I feared it might inadvertently hurt someone. The same might occur if I used tiny pebbles. My next solution was rice. I partially filled a snack-sized baggy with rice, and put that in the vase and it worked! The rice can be shaped and molded to fit inside the vase yet did not pose a threat of hurting someone and it stabilizes the big flower. It looks good. Problems solved.

My next project is another critter (back to my comfort zone) and I've decided upon a dairy cow. I've been looking at dairy cows in the field as well as pictures of cows and pictures of crocheted cows. Not all dairy cows have horns, so my crocheted cow will not have horns. Pictures of crocheted cows have pink udders, but in real life, that is not always the case. Most dairy cows have a "crown" on their heads, and their ears are on the side of their heads not on top like a crocheted piggy. I need to figure out how to make those features look right yet cute (and somewhat cartoonish) all at the same time. 

Here is my sample dairy cow picture. As you can see, a lot of problem solving goes into crocheting a critter or a flower. Watch this space to see what happens. 

(Picture courtesy of PETA.com)

The Hunt for 399

Yesterday we went to the Grand Tetons in search of 399 and her cub. 399 is our "famous" grizzly bear mama who had quadruplets 3 years ago at the grand old age of 24...and this year she gave birth to one healthy cub at 27. "They" think she is the oldest wild grizzly bear mama ever. Folks were afraid that she might not survive the winter, but she came out of her winter den on Tuesday with a cub. All of her fans (and she has many) were completely surprised and overawed. This is her 17th cub.  She hangs out at Pilgrim Creek and vicinity in the Tetons.  She's a savvy mama who knows how to protect her cubs yet show them off to the public. We saw the great long lines of cars with people waiting to see her...we talked to the rangers...we looked high and low...and we did not see her. The closest I got was a picture of her in facebook. The picture below is 399 and her COY (cub of the year) and it's what we're looking for...now all we have to do is be there when she decides to make an appearance. Easier said than done.

 

All was not lost...the Tetons were lovely. Even though the air was smoky (there are some fires n the west), Jackson Lake was still, 

and the reflections of the Tetons were  mirrored on the Lake.

My favorite mountain in the world, Mt. Moran, was looking wonderful with a fresh coat of snow covering the skillet glacier. 

I don't think I will ever stop taking pictures of Mt. Moran as the mountain speaks to my soul.

No trip to the Tetons is complete without a stop at Jenny Lake, and yesterday was no exception. 

Can you see the "heart" of Jenny Lake?

Text me if you can?

Any day at "the Park" is a good day. And yesterday was a very good day at the Park.

Greener

Last week, there was not a hint of green anywhere...then suddenly baby leaves appeared on the trees. Everyday, more leaves are popping out and here's a light green haze in the aspen forest. It's lovely.

 

The snow is just about melted in our backyard, but there are tons of dead leaves that need to be moved. 

The deer are having a grand time lazing around both the front and back yards. They come most mornings and hang out under the aspens. If you look carefully, you'll see a one  fellow is starting to grow antlers. I've not seen any fawns yet, but I'm guessing they are hiding in the forest. The mamas will take them for an excursion into the backyard when they are ready.

In the meantime, the Tetons are snowy and looking very pretty right now. 

All is good in the high country.

Happy Mother's Day

One of my friends called it a Hallmark Event...and it might well be...but Mothers are heroes. They give a tiny baby, care and love and guidance and before long, that infant becomes a worthy human being. That's no mean task. Thank you MOMS--we all owe tribute to your selflessness. 

Spring...Maybe?

Today I saw the first signs of spring in our little corner of the aspen forest. The trees are starting to leaf out. 

A few other trees in the valley are starting to show signs of life too. It might be the beginning of spring in Rocky Mountains.

In the Mountains

We made it to our summer place, where there is snow on the ground--it even snowed a little bit on Sunday morning. We knew it would be snowy, so it's not a surprise. This year has been an incredibly snowy year in the Rocky Mountains. 

Palisades Reservoir has a scree of ice on top of the water. One year we came here in April and the ice was thick enough for critters to walk on. By May, the ice is rotten. As you can see, there's still snow in the mountains.

Near our home, there are patches of snow here and there and the forest floor is littered with dead leaves leftover from the fall.

There's not a hint of green anywhere. The trees are still asleep. We have a small herd of deer hiding in the forest and they are very difficult to see. You can only see them if they move, other than that, they are camouflaged by the trees and snow. 

Some of the fields are still covered with snow. This hayfield cannot be planted for awhile.

A small grouping of aspens still in winter dress. Remember what this looks like, because when they start to leaf out, they will be green and beautiful in an "instant."

Keep watching for that day.

On the Road, Again...in our New Ride

At 10:37 we pulled away from our winter home and started the trek north to summer quarters. In a few days, the warm weather in the desert will become HOT, while there is  snow on the ground in the north.

 

To that end, our driveway was plowed out the other day so we can get to our home. From the pictures it looked like some places on the driveway were covered with 3 feet of snow. That means it's going to be cold too. We are ready.

The new truck is a honey to drive. As you might remember, we name our vehicles. The last truck was Vin Diesel, and this truck is Teddy. In case you are wondering, the Teddy name comes from the model truck, it is a Limited--see TED in the model name? Teddy is a sweet ride. He goes over mountains like they are flat and he flows down the road without a care in the world. To make matters even better, he gets 22 mpg, which is better than any truck we've ever had. The variable speed cruise control is fun to watch. I set the cruise control to 75 and when the traffic slowed, the truck slowed to match the traffic. We've not had that capability before, and it's something I got used to in about 5 minutes. The truck "communicates" with my iPhone via "CarPlay" so it has access to all my books. We listened to a Tony Hillerman book on the way north, and never had to change the  CD as we have done in other vehicles.The 12 inch display screen lights up with a bunch of information and in time, I'll be able to interpret all of it. Right now, I have learned the basics. The more I drive the truck, the more I will learn. So far, Teddy is a joy to drive and easy to ride in too.

Tomorrow we'll be at our other home. All is good.