Lu's Rapunzel-esque Braid

...done on my birthday while watching the Barbie movie of the same name, the day after watching the Disney movie on the same heroine.  Thus the background, or lack of background.

It's About Time

...that I posted again. Excuses aside, here are some pictures from the Jane Austen Ball in Walker (could such things really be? Never thought I'd say that!).
Gabbi and I making the exact same face. Funny, no?

 It is, however, a good picture of the back of our gowns.

A rather blurry image of me
Gabbi dancing. The Virginia Reel, I imagine.

A very sassy Lu and yours truly in the middle of a two-hand turn...

A shot of everyone either 

a) trying to learn the Scottish

b) trying to practice the Scottish for the fun of it

c) trying to decide whether or not to do the Scottish

d) trying to stay out of everyone's way

Oh, the decisions to be made...

Myself, my very handsome brother and my pretty sister preparing for the Comical Fellow 

Jess in full Mrs. Bennet-whispering mode (sorry, Jess, but I couldn't resist!)

 and Grayson looking...dashing (?) in his coat.

 Our Mom-we're-50-minutes-late-and-need-to-get-inside-NOW picture. :)

I'm Still Here! & The Concert

Believe it or not, I really am still here...life has been kind of crazy, but I hope to start posting again on a regular basis soon...

On April 15 we went to the River Center for the Celtic Woman concert...but let me back up a bit. We (which includes Gabbi, my sisters, and myself) have been longing for "Jane Austen" dresses...and someone (I don't know who) came up with the brilliant idea of making them for the concert...

Next thing I know, we're buying patterns and fabric and chattering excitedly about ribbons and lace and hairstyles...

Unfortunately, the project kind of got put off--excuse me, postponed until the Tuesday before the concert...which meant we had five day to make four dresses. Need I say that we were rather late getting to bed all week?

Anyway, here are some pictures from the event

Our grand entrance to the River Center

(we were five minutes late and in a hurry)

Waiting outside impatiently as the music starts...

Gabbi's hair...isn't it pretty?

My hair...

Jess

Lainey

Gabbi

At Jason's Deli afterwards..

Mom managed to get a snippet of Lisa Lambe singing "Dulaman," one of my favorite songs...

:)

Yesterday I started working on the formal herb garden I'd been wanting to do for a while. Dad marked out a 12' by 12' square for me, and I set to work. I wanted four square beds, with a path through the middle, wide enough so I could plant my new rosebush in the center. As soon as I had finished laying down the newspaper, I realized it was getting dark, so I dampened the paper with the hose and went inside, thinking that since it was supposed to rain anyway, the damp paper would stay put until I could work on it in the morning. Great idea, right?
Wrong. I looked out the windows today, and lo and behold, there was all the newspaper--ALL OVER THE YARD. I spent the first half hour just chasing newspapers. The dog thought it was great fun and tried to help by  scattering them even further. Then, after I'd finally manage to get them all back in place (after reading the comics, of course :), I went to go get some leaves to put down on top. The minute I turned my back the wind started up again, and I was once again engaged in a game of tag-the-newspaper. I finished with the leaf layer and went inside.

Well, I guess I should go and finish that herb garden. I'll post some pictures later!

Look who's here...

Our daffodils finally bloomed!

These are some late starters....but they are new, and they are pink, so I think we can forgive them....;)

Violas

Echeveria

Either mustard or broccoli growing off the side of the porch. No idea how it got there, but it's blooming. :)

Siberian squill

While I was out with the camera, I nearly stepped.......in this. Sneaky thing. It pays to watch where you're going! ;)

Camellia
Bluets--"Quaker Ladies," some call them

Apparently the flowers and I weren't the only things enjoying this lovely spring weather....


the budgies are probably thinking, "YES! Finally! We get to go OUTSIDE!" I guess they don't enjoy being inside during the winter, although, believe me they would have a worse time OUTSIDE in the winter. ;)

Parrot Tulips & Other such Things

Forcing

From this...

To this...

To this (right now)...

To (hopefully) this...

:)