My First African Violet Wasp Bloom!!

I am so excited Blue Tail Fly has a bloom!! This is my first wasp to bloom. I couldn't resisit taking a pic of the bloom.

As the picture shows, the plant has other buds, but they are taking their own sweet time about opening. I hope to get another pic with several buds open at once.

At our last AfricanViolet club meeting I aquired Optimara Little Moonstone - full of blooms!

and Episcia Checkboard - in bloom as well.

and Orchard's Bumble Magnet not in bloom. So I won't bother with a picture.

Happy AVing!

Violets Blooming

I have two more violets blooming for the first time since I have had them. I love it when my violets bloom, but it really special when it's the first time.

This is a pic of Aca's Curious George in bloom.




This is Rosie Ruffles. Such a beautiful bloom!





There's not much else happening on the AV front. The rest of my plants are doing fine.
My Episicas are really growing. I have them in a mini greenhouse. I think that's what they are called, basically it's a plant shelf that has a plastic zippered cover. It really helps with the humidity and my Episicas love it!

I love Streps, but for some reason they seem to be more of a challenge for me than the African Violets or Episicas. I lost most of what I had over the winter, got a few new ones, tired wicking them and some are doing great and others are falling by the roadside. It's so frustrating! Arrruuuugggggghhhhhh!!!

Happy Av'ing!

Violet Time!

I get plant fever in the Spring. The only thing I want to do is work with my plants. Needless to say I haven't been doing much crocheting or knitting lately. I did finish up the items I needed for April swaps that I am in, but that's about it.

When my AV club its show at the beginning of March I didn't have a violet (or anything else for that matter) with even one bloom on it. Let's not even mention blooms for show. Now a month and a half later my violets are starting to bloom.

This is Buckeye Calico. You can't really tell from the picture, but it has BIG blooms.

Next is Raspberry Crisp and she is just starting to bloom. I couldn't resist taking her picture

and putting it on here.

Let's see who else? Oh yeah Optimara Dali.

And last but not least, Tommie Lou





I have only had Tommie Lou a short time. I bought the plant at the end of March when my AV club had sales booth at the local botanic gardens Spring Sale. Of course I bought quite a few plants that day. Some violets, a couple of Streps, a Kohleria, 3 begonias, and several Episcias. Oh How I love Episcias! Unfortunately I lost most of the ones I had over the winter.

I did a leaf swap and recieved some Nemathanthus. I am thrilled to get these cuttings.
I got Nematanthus Christmas Holly, Santa Teresa, Black Gold and Freckles. I can't wait for these guys to take off, grow and bloom!

I have some other leaf swaps planned, if memory serves me correctly those are all for AV leaves. Hey, one can never have too many plants, books, or too much yarn or too much chocolate. Now my BF doesn't agree with me on that, but hey I could have worse vices than plants and yarn, Actually, I think he tolerates my yarn stash much better than my plants. LOL!

Happy AVing!!

My First knitted Dishcloth

I finally accomplished my first knitted dishcloth. It is finished! WOOHOO!



I really had a struggle trying to remember how to knit and even then just doing it, but after the beginner knitting class I took and a little bit of help from "Stitch N Bitch: the Knitter's Handbook" everything is coming together very nicely. I also have the knitted scarf that I made in the class that is still on the needles. LOL! Yeah, I'm bad. I guess the thing is I am just not too excited about the scarf and I have no idea what I am going todo with it. Now I love the yarn I picked for it. It's colorful and I love color. But I live in Texas, it rarely gets cold enough to use a scarf, but anyway, since it was the absolute first thing that I have knitted in 30+ years I suppose I will keep it. Of course there is always the possibility of it going to one of the grandbabies should the Navy send my son-in-law to a colder climate.

On the crochet front, I have been working on a rectangular granny afghan. And I finally finished and cmailed off the last of the Squares for Swap 78, that I was participating in. Now I am waiting patiently for the March swaps to begin.
I am participating in a Secret Pal Swap at Crochetville. This is the first secret pal swap I have done and I think it is really going to be fun.

Next weekend my African violet club is having their annual show and sale so I will be all wrapped in the excitement of that.

I am really looking forward to Spring. I am not a Winter person. Spring and Autumn are my favorite times of the year.