La Tricoteuse Bretonne

In the country (almost there)

The 2008 mystery blanket is (finally) almost done ...there are *only* the borders missing. I won't be able to take this project with me as I leave tomorrow for the South of France, I don't know for how long, as this is not really a portable project.
Here is a quick shot on the line outside in the garden...
Before the flowers embroidery

And after the embroidery

It does make a difference, doesn't it?

I'll be doing some more close up when it is completely finished. As for now, it will have to wait for my return, end of next week probably. Then it will become top-priority. I wished I had been able to follow the rhythm, but it hasn't been possible at some point.

The other main project occupying my hands at the moment is Marseille from the Rowan mag 45, I'm glad I chose this one from the latest Rowan magazine's patterns that attracted me, as it is a quick knit, even for me, the self-declared slowest knitter on Earth. I already have the back, front, and a sleeve. I have started the second sleeve. No second sleeve syndrom for me this time, no, no! As they're 3/4's : it is a bit cheating, but anyhow...I'm glad to have a quick project for myself, for once.

The color is fitting, too! The name's funny : turkish plum...

On a completely different subject, april has now begun, and as trustfully as many years now, a survivor orchid of many is blooming here. It is a botanical Cattleya which was gifted to me about 15 (!) years ago, when I did a stage at the Dahlem Botanical garden in Berlin. It was then much smaller, and despite the Cattleya's reputation of a difficult to rebloom orchid, every april since then, it has carried one or two flowers. A few years ago, I discovered a great product from Belgium, ideal for orchids...food for delicate plants, made from goat's s***. It works marvels! It is now the 4th year we have a lot of flowers, and this year has reached a peak : not one, not two, but fifteen flowers are already opened, and two more will open soon. Here a picture of the generous plant :

It has also little friends, second spring now that the ants are attracted by it so much they come in the house, and clean this budding orchid of all it sweet drops it carries on the flower stem.

It is amazing to watch (it lasts only a few days), how they suck the nectar from the tips of the flowers, cleaning and I suppose, ready to fight any other insect representing a danger of harming their friend.

Yes, nature sometimes invites itself in our home, this time it is not too unpleasant. When the orchid is finished giving them sweets, they disappear....

Posted by Stephanie at April 4, 2009 04:59 PM