'the flowers that bloom in the spring, tra la'

For those who are not operetta fans, the title is from a song in Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan.  The photos in this blog are some of my blooming flowers.  

This first photo is a trillium - a woods plant, growing in my back yard.  I transplanted it from my sister-in-law's garden  in New York State.  I have seen a few trillium growing in the woods here in Maryland, but I imagine the summers are a bit too hot for them to thrive.  This one seems to do ok. 

The other photos are African violets, growing in pots inside my house.  The frilly white and pink one is a new plant - from the Weis supermarket for only $2.99.  A friend asked me how I got my African violets to bloom in the winter.  My secret, of course, is that I buy new plants, which are already in bloom!  LOL    Actually the other plants are not new.   They tend to bloom whenever they feel like it.  I just try to keep them alive.

 Yesterday, I was complaining about it being a gorgeous day and my having to work inside.  As it turned out, I got home in time to spend several hours sitting out on the deck, enjoying the warm sunshine.  It was lovely.  Of course, I am paying for it today, as all the pollen made my allergies worse.  Oh well, it was worth it.

My neighbor cut my lawn yesterday when he did his own.  We have an arrangement:  he mows my lawn and I do the edging on both yards with my cord trimmer.  My lawn looks much better than when I use the trimmer to do the whole thing and I spend less time doing the edging of  both yards than if I had to do just my own lawn and edging.  So it's a good bargain for both of us.  Today, if it doesn't rain, I will get the edging done.

Last night, I went to a ceramics class at the  Montpelier Art Center.  This is where we do Raku firing.  I love the results of Raku, although they are rather unpredictable. Actually, that's part of why I love it.  One often gets a surprise in the finished piece.  Eventually, I will have some more items to show.  We are doing a demonstration firing on April 30, which is a 'tea festival' at Montpelier Arts Center.  I'll have at least a couple of pieces to be fired at that time.

So I am now involved in ceramics three days in a row!  I teach on Mondays, take a class on Tuesdays and then the Raku class on Wednesday nights.  Lots of playing with clay.  Montpelier is having a show for students soon.  We have to submit one piece by the end of next week.  Not every piece will be selected.  I think I have a good shot at getting a piece into the show, as not many students are doing masks. 

And the Tuesday class at the senior center is also having a show - in May, I think.  I don't know how many pieces we can each submit.  No details available so far.  Neither of these shows will have pottery for sale.  However, I am hoping to go to a sale in southern Maryland later this spring.  It would be nice to actually sell some of my stuff.  I need the space in the basement!

I've not been blogging very often this spring, mostly because nothing very interesting has been happening in my life.  The weeks fly by without anything to generate a blog. 

As I look out into the woods behind my house, I see pale green leaves adorning most of the trees.  I can still see the houses across the river and through the woods, but in another month, all I will see will be trees.  It's nice not to see the other houses, but the foliage also hides the stream, which I do enjoy viewing.  Can't have it both ways.