I haven't done much stitching for the past couple of weeks, but I have done a bit of work on my LHN Seasonal Saltbox piece. Maybe I'll eventually get it done...after gardening season is over.

The flower garden is gearing up and things are popping up all over the place and blooming. These are the early bloomers that have started putting on their show lately.

This Sweet William, aka dianthus, was planted last spring as part of a wildflower seed assortment. It didn't do anything last year except grow, so I was so excited to see it blooming this year. I absolutely LOVE the flower color!

These are poppies that have lost their petals and are in the process of going to seed. The ones in the back have just recently lost their petals. The ones in the front have developed their "crowns". Eventually, the pod will turn brown and a little gap will develop under the crown and the top of the pod. This allows the teeny little seeds to escape in the wind or when the seed pod is crushed.

Another seed pod and poppy flower. When the weather is cooler and the sun's not out, like on the day I took these pics, the flower petals don't open up very wide. They stay closed up and look more like tulips than poppies. This has been a good year for the poppies. Last year, they got windblown and the petals got blown off just about before I could get out and snap a pic of them.

Lastly, this is a Brazos Penstemon. It's a Texas native and does well in the shade. These things stayed about 8" tall all summer and winter then shot up like they were on steroids during late winter/early spring. Now they're flaunting their beauty. I'm very pleased with them. I harvested some seeds last season and winter sowed them. I've now got babies!!

The past 2 weeks have been a total blur. We had inventory at work this past Saturday, then I had to work on Sunday doing the audits and variance reports. When that was finished, we had to put the store back together because big wigs from corporate were going to be in the area Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and might pop in. Eek! (They never showed!) Needless to say, I've been exhausted and trying to recuperate. Today, I worked a half day, had a lunch date with my hubby, then came home and crashed. Tomorrow, I work a shorter shift, and will probably come home and crash, too! LOL

In the evenings, the husband and I have been working in the yard. Instead of mowing the grass...errr...weeds, he's decided to PULL them all by hand. Ugh! I'm doing other yard work. I refuse to pull the weeds when they could be mowed, bagged, and put at the curb for the city to pick up and turn into compost. So, I've been moving plants, planting new plants, and planting up seedlings to take to the spring plant swap in a couple of weeks! Still need to get the rest of the veggies planted, too, or we'll not have any veggies from the garden this year.