Tuesday, May 31, 2016

May Rides and Magazine Projects

How can the year be so far advanced? And what happened to Spring? Here in Wisconsin, we seem to have leapfrogged into Summer, complete with warm weather, thunderstorms, and intermittent torrential rains. The trees are fully leafed out, their once-myriad delicate tints now merged into a solid canopy of green.

Life in the Micawber household is slightly less frenetic than it was, for which I am very grateful. There's time now to breathe, to fold laundry and do dishes, to cook, to ride. Time to obsess over take pictures of wildflowers....

Here are some photos from my last three rides.

Sunday before last: It's a gorgeously hot day, and Tallulah and I decide to ride over to the Wisconsin River. We see plenty of wildflowers along the way:

Dame's Rocket

Clockwise from left, Leafy Spurge, Oleaster, Large-Flowered Trillium

I was very excited to find the Trillium pictured above, having never seen one before (except on the cover of my wildflower book). I thought they only grew in the woods, but this one was plunk in the middle of a sunny ditch. The flowers were nearly as big as my hand, and highly visible from the road.

These horses seem like old friends; I've been riding past their pasture for years now:


The ever-alluring bend in the road:


Irrigation equipment:


More Dame's Rocket, including a blindingly white variety that is surprisingly prolific this year:


I like the rooflines on these farm buildings:


We reach the river. Iris the bike leans against a tree while Miss T and I head down to the water's edge, she to watch the ripples, I to eat a banana.


It's good to see the river again, to feel the sun on our backs and hear the happy shouts of boaters.

On our way home we pass a favourite field, the grass mown in sweeping curves around two splendid trees:


A very satisfying ride.

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Two days later I head out for a short ride. Though time is limited, the wildflowers are too beguiling to pass by....

Top: Hoary Puccoon; bottom left, Wild Geranium; bottom right, Balsam Groundsel

Also blooming on this ride were wild columbine and three varieties of honeysuckle (not pictured).

I'm learning to tell the difference between dogwood (four-petalled blossoms, leaves smooth-edged) and elder (five-petalled blossoms, leaves serrate):

Red-twig Dogwood (left); Elder (right). Both beautiful!

Another lovely bend in the road:


A good ride; short on miles but long on flowers.

~

Monday, Memorial Day: I've been waiting all weekend for a chance to ride, and finally it comes. The afternoon is hot and sunny (as opposed to the rain we usually get on Memorial Day).

Wild white roses are springing up everywhere:


I like the wonky door on this shed:


Amish draft horses taking the afternoon off:


Power, old and new:


What about the wildflowers? (I can hear you wondering.) There were plenty of those too:

Left: buttercup (top), Daisy Fleabane (bottom); center, unknown.
Right: Golden Alexanders (top), Black Medick (bottom).

(Also seen but not pictured: bladder campion, 3 varieties of clover, cow parsnip, hoary alyssum, butter-and-eggs, Dame's rocket. I really need to start a 2016 wildflower list.)

The locust trees are blooming right now, sending waves of sweetness on the breeze:


How about some wild grass, just as a break from flowers? Although there are locust blossoms in the background.... :)


Another good ride. Here's to many more of them!

~

Have you seen the Love of Crochet Summer 2016 issue?

Photo copyright Love of Crochet/Julia Vandenoever

That's one of my projects on the cover (blogger coughs modestly while kicking herself for not posting this weeks ago when the magazine first came out).

It's a lacy poncho made of join-as-you-go 3-round motifs, with removable ties that allow it to be worn as a top.


Also in this issue are my Tidal Shawl, an elongated half-hexagonal shawl with a simple, fast-growing dc body and a lacy border copied from an antique table runner:

Left and upper right photos copyright Love of Crochet/Julia Vandenoever

And the Just-Enough Purse, a small bag worked in center single crochet with a fun row of flowers around the top:


To see all the patterns in Love of Crochet Summer 2016, visit the Ravelry page here. To order your own copy, visit the Interweave store here.

~

And that's all she wrote. See you in June!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

13 comments:

  1. Thanks for the rides. As always I'm amazed by the variety of your wild flowers. Love both pieces, but the colors of the shawl are just amazing.

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  2. Wow and wow! So nice to see you taking rides again and seeing such beautiful wildflowers and scenery. And congrats on so many lovely patterns in the magazine. Happy June!

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  3. Beautiful patterns Sue congratulations, the lacy poncho is gorgeous. Thank you for taking us along on your rides, so many beautiful wildflowers I rather like the Balsam Groundsel :) xx

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  4. I'd say that was one jam-packed and newsy post, my friend! Loved all the countryside photos and flowers.. and congrats on the glossy magazine publishing! You are awesome! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  5. Holy moly, your patterns are as prolific as the wildflowers!!! Congratulations!!!

    Oh, and I love that snowflakey-looking trillium!

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  6. Gorgeous summery shots today. We're getting very warm weather for so early in the year too. Last week it was cold, this week in the 90s! Craziness.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  7. So many good things. Your projects look lovely - you must be so pleased! I love your cycle rides and all the flowery photos. And also that wee wonky door and the Amish horses. Thank you for sharing! Juliex

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  8. You've been busy. Nice projects. I love the top!!!!!! Enjoy the quiet and summer (here we have had lots of rainy and not very summery days .... I've been very lazy .... Regula

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  9. Love the patterns and all the flowers! Summer is here and I can feel us pushing aside winter's blues with a long awaited sigh.

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  10. The colours in your first picture make my heart sing!

    You are a prolific crocheter, aren't you? Well done.

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  11. No need for modesty concerning your crocheting pattern sales, Sue! Bravo! I'm glad your family stress level is a bit toned down, and that you have been able to enjoy your bike ride flower finding ventures and share them with us. I just got back from ten days camping yesterday and loved seeing some wildflowers on the east side of Mt. Hood where we camped. The only ones I knew names for were Queen Anne's Lace, and Fox Gloves! The Trillium you spotted is amazing. I posted a photo of a lavender one my son in law saw in our woods a few months ago, but it was much smaller. xx

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  12. You do have some lovely scenic rides. Your photos are great and compliment your post well.

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  13. You do have some lovely scenic rides. Your photos are great and compliment your post well.

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