Okay, Where Were We?

So, winter went by. It was cold and there was snow. Buster and Barkley really didn't take to it much, being they are tiny and get cold easily. Eric and I maintained better walkways for the dogs than we ever have for ourselves. I bought them little sweaters and quickly found there isn't a whole lot out there for Dachshunds. So, I set about the task of making them custom sweaters. I worked the draft over a few times, until I felt comfortable that I could grade it for other dachshunds. Then, I set up an ETSY shop, which I need to stock up before fall. Of course, it's hard to think about that, since it was 90 degrees today. But, I need to get cards done and get after this project.


Well, we all lived through the winter. The Orioles returned this spring and I set about the business of trying to catch them at the feeder. I finally moved it a few feet from the dining room window, so I didn't have to work too hard. We have both the Baltimore and the Orchard Orioles here again this year. All of the usual suspects showed up, except the bluebirds. They came late and had to battle hard for a box. Despite our best efforts, they were thrice evicted by sparrows and wrens. They eventually came up with one of the boxes that we don't police and only laid two eggs, one of which hatched. That baby is out of the nest now. We've had a lot of baby birds around, including a male rose breasted grossbeak. We also witnessed a starling feeding a baby cowbird, which kinda made us laugh.


All of my early bloomers did well this year. I moved the shooting star to a shadier spot, I am hoping they will multiply in their new home. My iris bloomed like they never have before. All of the feeding has really paid off and I found out this year that I had a color I didn't know I had; some bloomed this year for the first time. Also blooming for the first time this year was the peony that Eric rescued three years ago. I was very excited to see it set buds. I was hoping for an old old-fashioned variety and I was not disappointed. I was thrilled when it opened into a beautiful pale pink double. Unfortunately, when I pulled my elephant ears from the basement this spring, I'd lost all but one. Eric got me this beautiful speckled one, instead.



Eric and I just celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary. I made the carrot cake for the occasion and I finally made an attempt at piping the traditional carrots. This is my first attempt at piping, so please forgive my lack of consistency. Eric and I only had two pieces of this cake (each) and I took it off to work. We needed to eat an entire three layer cake like the Sahara needs sand. Wood is the traditional gift of the fifth anniversary and I found Eric a three dimensional Dachshund puzzle made of cherry. Not quite as charming as the real deal, but nice!

More photos are here!