Do What Makes You Happy - Friday Garden

Hello, dears! Yes, I know, I didn't make my weekly blanket post. There were few reasons, one of them was (is) the absence of the internet connection at home which issue will be fixed soon hopefully. Today I invented to upload pictures from camera on USB and then copy to my office computer. I decided though to show blanket progress next week and today carry on with Friday Garden. There hasn't been happening much in here, but still I have found few interesting things.

Few months ago we noticed some plant growing in our garden - it was a self-sowed spinach. These days it has become a big bush with numerous seeds, which I'd like to collect and plant again - isn't this nature's miracle?

The same way this lonely marigold has grown under the citrus tree, you can see the dry leaves underneath. I remember planting orange marigolds, but definitely not in this place, so another independently sowed member of our garden. 

The lettuce of which I was so proud back in March has produced little yellow flowers, and it means I'll be able to seed more of my Russian leafy veggies later on. 

Oh well, here is again that same story as with a crochet heart - have no idea how the hanging pockets actually hang on the trees! Though I don't think this was the best place for them to be so I took them to my room. Okay, enough of flirting with my crochet projects - yes this is the one I was asking you to guess what it was. Aishwarya was right. The idea of hanging organizers was not mine, I got inspired by a glimpse of it on Pinterest and HAD to try it out! The pattern Crochet Wall Pockets  is sold on Ravelry ... but I was able to figure out how to make them myself (come on, I've been into this hobby for more than a year now! hehe). The only thing I'd like to change is a stick on which the pockets are buttoned. I have to search for a suitable tree branch today.

I took many pictures not because I so adored what I've made, but because light didn't allow me to reveal true colors. But I think that this picture is the closest to the original. I used one of my favorite yarn - Millenuim acrylic yarn by Vardhman. I'm planning to do yarn shopping next week, as I have no patience to be busy with the same project all the time and plan to make some winter clothing item for myself.

I've linked the Crochet Wall Pockets to Creative Everyday Challenge Color theme of the month . 

We might go for a wedding this weekend, but I don't really feel like and will be more than happy to stay home (if possible) and do my favorite things. Yea, I know it is selfish and all ... but when your heart doesn't want something, how can you force yourself?

Have a nice day and a great weekend ahead! "Do what makes you happy" (if possible).

Calendula and a Cheshire Heart - Friday Garden

Good evening, my dears! It is late evening here now, I am almost sleeping, as the day has been a little hectic and I'm going to office tomorrow. I was making my D ready for a trip to Rishikesh - a must destination for many tourists who come to India. This is a holy place as well as a place famous for adventurous sports like river rafting, biking and camping. So I wish he would enjoy all these and will have some interesting photos to share. And speaking of me, he promised to take me there too, but this time it was strictly only employees' entertainment. 

So I am being a nice wife, continued my gardening and crocheting, and D, being a caring and attentive husband, brought these flowers from his office yesterday. Calendula was always a necessary  flower at my parents' dacha, I hope to continue this tradition.

 

This type of Calendula has cute fluffy blossoms. They were looking fine today after being planted into a pot...

What I can't say about this one, perhaps it shouldn't have been taken out of the soil while still having flowers. Though I hope it will get accustomed to new environment.

I have no idea how a stripy heart got into a post about garden :) Today was my friend's birthday, so I gifted her a new version of my Cheshire heart - with little bit of beads and sequins. I've gifted already many of these hearts and I enjoy making them a lot, and now to embellish, why haven't I thought of doing it before? "Good thought comes afterwards" according to a Russian saying.

Aha! Now I know why the heart decided to pop up here - it pretended to be a fruit on our citrus tree. How clever of you! The pattern for this heart can be found here.

Now I have to think of what I am going to do this weekend, as my D will not be with me. This is not an issue as soon as you have hobbies and projects in progress. Or friends who might take you out. Let's see how it all goes.

Have a great relaxing weekend wherever you are!

Summer Blanket and Something New - Wednesday Update

There is not even a single day without us hearing that some tragedy has happened.Yes, I am talking about the attack in Boston, the earthquake in Iran... the waves of the latter we felt even here, in Chandigarh. All the news channels concentrate on these two "events", creating more anxiety and hopelessness. I am really grateful that me and my family are able to start this day and enjoy its beauty. But I wish we all could...I wish we could live without fear being attacked or killed or hurt...

But as we are here now, we keep on living and dreaming... and blogging. We have to bring more happiness in the world. And many of us do. With the idea of 52 weeks of Happy for example, or by posting nice pictures and saying kind words to each other. I really feel that the blogger community can make the world better, let's think how.

Day before yesterday I was sitting in my room in the evening and heard a strong deep meow at our backyard... I smiled. It meant that some cat came to us. I rushed there and saw a grey furry creature standing on the wall and looking right back at me. I hurried back to pick my camera and took few snaps. Here in India people usually don't keep cats as pets, so you would generally see pet dogs, but cats.. they just come and go. Last year there was another cat who used to come to us and we used to feed it, but then she disappeared... For me, a cat lover, meeting a half wild cat, and moreover, almost in our house, is such a treat!

Oh yea, you must have recognized this already. It has started having a more blanket-y look. I feel it is going to be a great result  thanks to all of you who made me believe in this. If I continue working in this tempo, I'll 

Here is how many more squares have come up and need to be stitched together soon. This way I'd have 23 blocks. I got a little bored with blanket crocheting and decided to make some little side project.

Here are three squares I crocheted yesterday evening. There will be only three of them. So could you guess what is it going to be?:) I will give a link to the square pattern later, when I find it in my laptop.

I am using DK acrylic yarn of Indian brand Vardhman. I like its colors and texture reminds wool a lot. I think of making a throw out of this yarn later on. There are lovely patterns on the Red Heart website which I pinned in my Crochet patterns. I like this one and this one the most, but others are also so pretty, aren't they?

Well, let's first rest our fingers and finish this small something. I am sure it'll be a useful thing in my room. Okay, enough hints for you now. I am off to do my job and look forward being back home and crocheting. Also I didn't forget about a promised giveaway on achieving 100 followers, so it'll happen soon.

Wish you to have a peaceful day, be safe and happy! 

Weekend - Day and Night

As I had informed in my previous post, I had to work last weekend. But today I got a compensatory day off, (though we had to actually ask for it). Nevertheless, I recharged myself today and hurrying to share with you what I was up to.

 I work for the academics department of a preschool project, which has just started operations this year. Our preschool has an American concept of the curriculum and it's quiet innovative for India. Hence our teachers had to be trained on the same and that is why I was busy on weekend. 

Here is the part of the school building and a long path towards the main entry.

I love malva flower. They make a perfect live fence and have so many color possibilities.

The school has many plants in the pots as well, which stand all over the place.

 A huge territory with many trees and lawns. Even a swimming pool is there, you can see it afar.

We were given tasty South Indian lunch every day of the training. South Indian food is my favorite, so you can imagine that I was really happy to have dosa, sambar, idlis and different chutneys three days in a raw.

That was what happened in day time..and Saturday night I (to my pleasure) attended a farewell party organized by the company my D works for, for one of their employees who is going back to Europe after living in India for 4 years!

The venue was simply awesome! It was a resort called "Aura Vaseela" situated among the crops and fields of Punjab,  and you need patience to finally reach it. It was worth going so far as the place had that relaxing, quite atmosphere of a country house.

No, we didn't jump into swimming pool after the party was over :)

Walking around the resort I found mysterious, enigmatic places there, like this one - a passage leading to a hidden world.

The bench standing in front of the cottage fascinated me.

I called it a "haunted bench"...

I liked this secret place to sit in. It looks so cozy and intimate. 

An old man sleeping in a typical Punjabi farm house... 

Quite a diverse weekend, isn't it? I really enjoyed the party and all the surprises the company made for a guy who is leaving. A big part in organization of the party was played by my D, so obviously, I am proud too. 

I received another award a week ago from a creative lady Lujubinka of Made by Ljubinka blog. she recently has been making lovely crochet doily bowls, so have a look :) Thank you so much, Ljubinka! I am supposed to nominate 10 more blogs which have less than 300 followers, but I would nominate all of you, my dears!

Have a wonderful week ahead and don't get frustrated because of small things (even if someone didn't speak to you properly over the phone):)

Yellow Marigolds, Bean Pods and Other Veggies - Friday Garden

Hello, my dears! Hope your week has been good and there is such a reason for more happiness - a weekend! My week has been slightly hectic and I have to work on weekend too...Yea...sad :(

Whatever, I am here again with my Friday Garden! Come along, sit on the bamboo chairs and look around.

First you will notice marigolds. They are supposed to be at least three times taller, and flowers - three times bigger, but not very rich soil and hot weather must have prevented them from growing more. There are these yellow blossoms thought which bring joy to the eye in the mornings.

Then you will see the bean pods hanging from the bushes. They seem doing fine, aren't they?

 Now - not exactly MY garden, but some veggies which were planted by my FIL. Happened so that we both have different gardens and each waters his/her own :) The eggplant looks fine, but probably it'll take time till it starts giving flowers.

 Tomato plants are pleasantly green and strong, so I look forward harvesting our own tomatoes in a few weeks. Dreams come true! :)

 The Russian lettuce is finishing the cycle of its development, and we will be able to have our own seeds soon. It grew quiet well this year because I sowed it very early. Otherwise lettuce doesn't appreciate high temperature at all, and the leaves droop straight away under the hot Indian sun.

That's all for today, dears. Tomorrow I am going to take my camera to the place where I have to work this weekend. It has lovely gardens, and that's why I can still bear being there:) Wishing you to have a great, sunny and happy weekend!

Blanket is Growing..Slowly - Wednesday Update

I know, it is already evening (here) and I am a little late with Wednesday crochet blanket update. I didn't have time to take pics in the morning, so did it just now. Hence you have an incredible opportunity to witness awesomely fresh photos of my Summer blanket! Yey!

Okay, there is not much reason for happiness, because I am almost at the same point where I was last week.

Today I'd like to show the manner in which I'm going to sew the blocks. Here is a plan of  actions...hmmm...in Russian, as I think much better in my native language.

Okay, whatever I plan, I think I'm going to change it anyway. But the main thought is to alternate blocks for outer row/round, and so on. Better see the picture.

I also managed to make few more squares for the next lot of the blocks. I do like yellow squares a lot, and thinking of putting them in the middle of the blanket.

 Finally almost all the yarn from the first stash has finished, and I have  started using a second one. I have two more stored, and hope that it'll be enough for the whole project, otherwise I might not get exact colors in the market now.

That's what I have achieved in a week's time. Not so much but not so bad, considering that I was busy in the office, and we had a great party on Saturday, which means that that day was absolutely crochet-free. While making of this blanket I also made a note for future to use less number of colors for a big project. This one really has given me trouble with color match and now - arrangement of the squares. But this is a part of a learning process, and I am happy to learn!
Have an awesome day, and I hope the Spring has touched your part of the world! Or if you have Autumn now - it is also a good time of the year :))

Beans, Marigolds and Little Roses - Friday Garden

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The working week is over, our minds are planning something for the weekend, and one of this plans is to simply take a rest and enjoy sunny days. Here they have become really sunny and hot, though nights are still pleasantly cool and slightly windy. In many places over the globe (including my native country) the winter is not willing to give space to the spring and persistently surprises with snow and cold winds.

However, there is a way out. As I am a big fan of the weekends (oh yes!), I thought of making a weekly Friday post about my little Indian garden in order to create a "pre-weekend" relaxing mood for myself and you, dears :)

What do I have in my garden these days? Same favorite plants, which as I have noticed, grow best in Indian weather conditions. This year I sowed beans, marigolds and fennel earlier in January, so that they will have enough time to develop before the heat starts. I have made some kind of a garden journal as well (a paper one), and keep a track of all the planting activities in it.

My beans have started giving little flowers of a beautiful lilac shade mixed with white. I feel like becoming a tiny fairy and spending a day in the green thicket of bean plants...

 Each and every bean I sowed grew into a good bush. You can also see two onions, which grew from the market onion bulbs.

Marigolds haven't achieved their height yet, but the buds have appeared already.

 

An earlier picture of fluffy fennel, marigolds made a nice company to it. 

The rose bush grows in front of our house and this year again is cheering us up with its little roses. Such a pleasant view when you leave in the morning for office!

Friday garden made me very happy, hope it made your day happier too. Have a nice weekend wherever you are, dear friends!

Summer Blanket - Wednesday Progress Update

I'm very proud of myself, because I keep my promise (to myself first of all) to update the blanket progress. Here is what I've reached so far: 48 squares sewed into 12 blocks. I have only 16 squares left, and after attaching them together, I will start making another lot of them, what will be a REAL progress then. Otherwise, a baby blanket can come up pretty easily with this much done. But we are aiming for bigger goals, aren't we? It is becoming hot here, around +35 in the day time, and fans are already in full working mode. Therefore, even I finish the blanket only by the end of this year :O, it'll be perfectly fine for a start of the winter season.

 I am still deciding how to arrange the blocks, and the latest idea I had was to attach the same blocks to each other, and perhaps, doing it in the rounds, like the outer round will have blocks of one color, the next - blocks of another color. Let's see, I need to count how many of each squares, hence, blocks, I need to make in this case. Also, do I have to block the blocks? They seem fine otherwise.

I plan to make at least 2 cm between the blocks, and of course, a border, a wide one, to frame the blanket... well, just let me finish it :)

As you might have seen the party button, I'm participating in Pagan Culture's bologoversary celebration under the name "Witches in Fiction... To The Bone", so you can come and check various interesting posts here.

Have a nice week ahead!