Holland At Home

Every Fall, the hubs plants the Spring bulbs.

This past November, he planted 300...mostly tulip bulbs.

He does the planting alone, 

when they pop up in the Spring, they are like little surprises for me.

The mailbox garden...

the front center garden...

and this small garden up by the front door.
The hubs bought that birdhouse for me, made of all recycled materials.

These Daffodils survived 2 snows and frigid temperatures.

You must admire 
their determination to survive and thrive!! 

Dinner Is Served

We were out for a bike ride in

Spring Lake

It was so warm at home but too cold in Spring Lake, 

even at the lake which is a half mile in from the ocean.

I asked the hubs to drive around the lake, 

hoping I would spot something fun and exciting that I could photograph.

We circled several times and it finally happened.

I saw this big guy, circling also.

From a distance, I thought it was a Hawk, once it came in closer, I realized it was an Osprey.

I tried several times to get a picture and it was impossible - for me.

The hubs asked for the camera, he knew I was struggling...

and he captured this!

We watched the Osprey for several minutes - awwwww who am I kidding,

we had our eyes on him for at least a half hour.

He was circling and swirling, 

- he moved, we moved -

and then we watched him dive straight down in to the water!

He captured dinner and flew off...but not without Chuck capturing this beautiful silhouette.

We will go back, I figure since he got lucky, he will return also.

April 22, 2018

Saturday Critters ~ 228 ~

The Sand Cherry Tree is starting to bloom.
The flowers provide a pretty background when photographing the birds.
Today, it was dark, cloudy and raining outside...
but the Titmouse looks beautiful as he hops from branch to branch.

The moral of the story, take the pictures, even if the circumstances are not ideal!

Sharing today with

Eileen at Viewing Nature With Eileen

Holland Ridge Farm

We found a new Tulip Festival and boy do they know how to grow tulips.
 Holland Ridge Farm
fourth generation tulip growers from Holland right here in New Jersey.
The farm is modeled after the great tulip fields of Holland,
and are designed by the same architect Jan Guldemond of Keukenhof.

This is the festivals first year...

We'll be back, in September for the Sunflowers!

Mr. House Finch

The Male House Finch is another bird that is abundant and friendly at our feeders.
Males have a red head and upper breast...
the girls are a streaked brown, minus all the pretty red.

They eat a variety of seed, and favor sunflower seeds and thistle.
They also use the birdbath to both bath and drink.

Yarn Along

It's Wednesday, time for a Yarn Along update
and I have lot's to share today.

I finished my great niece Madelyn's Chevron Baby Blanket

It's washed, blocked and ready for wrapping.

I am back working on the second neutral Chevron Baby Blanket,

the one I started before Madelyn's.

I am buzzing along quickly,

no real mistakes and I just love these colors.

The Gallatin Scarf will be next on the needles.
The yarn looked purple in the shop, but now it looks brownish,

but purplish in the picture.

I think I am having a problem with my color vision.

The hubs say's the green shirt I wear is gray 

and the green flip flops I asked for at the beach are also gray.

- one of us has a problem -


Here's a better look at it...
I have never knitted anything like this but Paige said I could do it.
If not, she will help me.

This is the pattern, I am not sure I have ever seen anything like it!

Here is the cute project bag I picked up in Paige's shop...

and the official NJ Wool Walk Bag.
I did not "need" either of these bags...it was a matter of "want"...
and one can never have too many bags - right?

And how about those flowers...it's been 10 days and they still look amazing!!

The New Jersey Wool Walk

Grab your passport,

you've got just four days to visit the fifteen participating shops in New Jersey.

That's the New Jersey Wool Walk.

And don't worry if you had no idea...I didn't know either

I only made it to one shop, 

but that was fine...

I had a wonderful visit with Paige Miller at

Frame & Fiber Yarn Shop

I have visited this shop in the past,

and I got to know Paige during my knitting trip to

The New York State Sheep & Wool Festival

in Rhinebeck, New York
Paige stayed in the same house I did and was part of our group.

Her shop is beautiful...
everything is displayed with so much care and attention to detail.

Now, it's time for pictures of the inside, it's gorgeous...

I purchased one of the chevron print, New Jersey bags,
a Wool Walk bag...

and the pattern and yarn to make this 
Gallatin Scarf
in purple of course, I hope I can figure it out.
If not, 
Paige said I could come to the shop, 
during an open knit and she would help me.

There were give-a-ways...

frames, and yummy cookies for all the husbands.

I am sure if I were only going to visit one shop, I picked the best one.

I'm really starting to get into this whole knitting thing...

having fun and doing all the things that knitters do.