happy happy toy toy

 Green green green!

Things are really popping now.

apple tree budding

garden spearmint

lilacs

garden euphorbia

We're going to have to take animal predation a little more seriously this year, though.  Once again, I have lots of beautiful columbine mounds...

...whose flowers get eaten by rabbits as soon as they send up a stalk.

Last year was the first year that we didn't get a single flower from the garden...in prior years, there were so many!  Ugh...rabbits.

Unusual - especially in the spring! - the deer are getting into our front beds for the daylilies.

Todd has caught deer in our front bird feeders several times...they must have noticed the daylilies while passing through.  

Daffodils are still going strong, and other bulbs that I've planted...scilla, muscari, and hyacinth...are in bloom now too!  I love my little spring bouquets.

 

My indoor seed test went well, too.  About a third of the seeds tested sprouted.

Nice to be able to eliminate old seeds and add seeds to my planting pile.  

Claudia is not ready to give up on winter, though.  She loves sleeping in the heated barn when it gets really cold, and I frequently find her sitting on the doorstep out there, hoping to sneak in for a nap!  

Otherwise...Todd and I were at a toy show all weekend.  Now, you can imagine how I feel about toy shows, as someone who hates noise, crowds, germs, and deviations from my routine.  My energy drains out by about 9 a.m. on the first (of three) days and I feel a lot like this kid I saw:  

It's always kind of fun to see adults in costumes...

...but with my arm in a sling because of terrible tendonitis and my knee wonky from three days on concrete, you can imagine how thrilled I am to be home and now potentially YEARS away from the next toy show!  Recovery from a toy show is really tough...they're so tiring.  Even TODD day-naps for a couple of days after a show!

So glad to be home with my cats.

Hoping for a quick recovery so that I can be back on the trails in a couple of days...have a great week!

goldenrod, goldilocks, golden sunset

Another week, another toy show!  Thankfully, it's the last one for a while.  It was great to see friends...for Todd to be in his element, both on the floor (sorting - a Todd favorite)...

...and in panels, giving presentations about vintage toys.

I saw lots of nice tattoos (yes, that's Princess Leia!)...

...and even the back of William Shatner's head!  He's in black on the right.

But I'm so glad to be home.  I miss the cats like crazy when we're gone.

And I miss our walks. 

I love seeing all the signs of the changing seasons, even if it's still quite warm.

It's nice to see some late-season bees.  Our temperatures are supposed to cool off dramatically next week (low 70s and 60s!!!), and this little guy will be winding down for sure. 

I bought new sale fabric this week.  It's Goldilocks by Jill Howarth.  I love the colors and the whimsical pattern.  Really fun! 

I just bought a couple of "rollie pollies" (eighteen 2.5" strips) and some yardage of my favorite patterns:

Tiny bears and half-timbered cottages...what could be better?  I never know exactly what I'm going to make when I buy fabric, most of the time.  If it's on sale, and I really like it, I buy it.  I buy the sale bundle, supplement with some yardage, and cross my fingers.  Most fabric can be fleshed out with plain cream, tan, or light blue yardage to create up to a full-size quilt, so I feel like it's a safe investment!  I can't wait to start sewing again!

I guess I'll just have to focus on outdoor activities until then.

Have a great week!

The Not-So-Long Con (vention)

Todd and I haven't done very many local toy shows, mainly setting up a booth at Star Wars Celebration every 2 years.  But when he heard that a toy show was happening about 10 minutes from where we live, he couldn't resist.

Even for a small show, setup takes a couple of hours.

I was surprised to see a that a line had formed outside before the expo opened.  It's hard to predict what the interest will be, but this one had a pretty healthy attendance!

It was nice and steady all day!  I loved seeing the costumes...

I always get a kick out of seeing fan-worn sci-fi merchandise at toy shows.  My favorite from this one:  a U.S.S. Nostromo hat (for non-Alien fans, the Nostromo was the beleaguered ship in the movie).  I also made a mental note to purchase a Always Eat Hole Foods tank top featuring a donut that I saw a little girl wearing.

For an introvert who despises crowds and gets worn down by noise very easily, toy shows are pretty exhausting.  You have the early morning set-up, the long day of conversation and interactions, and then a lengthy tear down at the end of the day.

These smaller shows are a lot easier.  The flow of customers is steady and not an overwhelming clamor, like at the big shows.  Todd and I had plenty of time to chit chat and people watch.  Still, I was pretty tired by the end.

Todd, of course, loves it.  Happy place!

Speaking of happy place...

...the cats are still loving their recent acquisitions.  I had been worried that they'd be affected by the dramatic change in space and windows from our old house to the temporary apartment, but they're adjusting without any problems!  I guess I can shelve my plans to turn our 2nd bedroom into a cat paradise.  

I've been slowly getting back into classes with my wrapped knee, but I haven't wanted to push it by adding lengthy night walks.  One more week and I should be totally back to normal.  Fingers crossed.

Have a great week!