My Little Jungle

I have never been to a true and proper jungle. The closest I have come is a few hours in a tropical rain forest in Puerto Rico.

I never did see a monkey there, though, and that disappointed me.

(No, monkeys aren't native to Puerto Rico but in the 1950's, some escaped a lab and, well, now there are monkeys in Puerto Rico...you know, that "lab leak" thing.)

Anyway.

We skipped spring here in Nod and leapt directly into summer.

We have been unusually hot and unusually dry, at least for this early in the season.

But for someone who dwells in a land with 7+ months of winter, my complaining lips are duly and properly buttoned.

Come along for a peek at my little jungle here in Nod.

{House Wren hitching a ride on the witch's cat's head on the cornzebo's weathervane}

{Weeping Tina Crabapple}

{Magnolia and Rhododendron}

{False Indigo}

{Miss Kim Lilac}

{Lupines}

{Baltimore Oriole}

{House Wren residence outside my front door}

{Resting hummingbird}

I wish you could hear the cacophony that goes on at times in my little jungle.

I did not receive the family gene that enables me to tell one bird song (or even one bird by sight) from another, but Miss Marly of Samplers-and-Santas introduced me to the Merlin app and I feel like a blind person who can once again see.

These are some of the birds that have serenaded me in my jungle the past few days:

And no jungle would be complete without critters.

Some less desirable than others...

and far more plentiful...not only slithering on the ground but dropping out of trees and bushes.

Gah!

  

My little jungle desperately needs rain.  Several days the sky has darkened with promise, but it seems the promise always goes unfulfilled.

I realize I have not posted about any "projects" of late...I have done a little stitching - no hooking, no finishing though.  But for those of you who are gracious enough to follow me for those types of things, I promise I will update soon.

Icebox Hotdish

Sometimes, when growing up, we would have "icebox hotdish" for dinner.  My mother would go to the icebox and pull out whatever leftovers and bits in there and combine it into a one-of-a-kind, never-to-be-replicated, casserole.  (We called them "hotdishes"..."casserole" was a bit too formal a term.)  

And since I have nothing of substance to chat about, that's what you're getting in this post: Just a bunch of "this"-es and "that"s.

About the most exciting thing going on (and this says a whole lot about my uneventful life) is that my wisteria is finally blooming.  I love my cornzebo for many reasons, but one of the primary ones is that it serves as a support for two of my favorite plants - bittersweet and wisteria.

There is much to be said for cherry blossoms, but they seem so flighty.  They are so quick to run off and leave you.  And then just when your regrets are the strongest the wisteria comes into bloom....

{Murasaki Shikibu)

I know in more temperate climates vegetation like wisteria sometimes does not know its place and can overtake entire structures.  But I live in Nod and nothing is invasive here other than the snow and relentless cold.

(Something tells me I just may regret saying that at some point.)

We had some storms come through a little more than a week ago that brought damaging winds (I heard, through the grapevine, that we lost several trees at the lake) and heavy, heavy, rains.

This little hummingbird was marooned on my wanna-be porch during a particularly heavy downpour.

I don't know what I was thinking when this happened, but I DO DEFINITELY know I WILL regret it:

This beautiful butterfly comes to visit every sunny afternoon...I love the blue on his wings.

I have found more time than motivation to stitch some.  I finally finished (re)stitching Centennial Eagles (a design by Tina Woltman), but I am undecided about whether to finish it as a pillow (it is rather large actually) or frame it...or just file it.

(Sorry for the wonkiness...it has not yet been pressed and was simply roughly folded.)

I also finished stitching this little piece - It is part of the "Sea Ornaments" pattern by The Primitive Hare.

(Again, apologies for my lack of ambition in pressing it before taking the photo.)

Of course I did not notice the misspelling of "whaling" until I had stitched the first three letters, so had to frog them all to adjust the stitch count.

I am somewhat wishing I had stitched this one over one but too late for regrets...the wisteria is in bloom.

There is still nothing on the rug hooking frame.  Sorry MD.

Well, I am thinking you've had about enough fun with me for a Saturday night and enough icebox hotdish for almost any night (my mum had an incredible gift for making anything taste good...but you really never knew what was in there and I was always the wary skeptic).

Our weather is supposed to turn, with rain tomorrow and then highs in the 50's for the beginning of the week.  I think it's time for a baking day anyways.  Good thing I have long johns right next to my tank tops.