It's raining pink cherry petals! This little courtyard was just covered - I crushed them underfoot!

 The groundskeeper told me the kids climbed into the tree and shook the branches - how I wish I had been here then!

Still plenty of pink power left!

Here is a better look at the silk scarf Cris & I dyed at her Guild's Retreat day. We used red maple leaves from her tree, and they gave a wonderful purple color and printed well. It is so fun and easy to do! Here is the link to the original post.

Well, today is Apollo's turn. No, he really isn't that fat, just relaxed in his favorite chair by the window. And that's not a ferocious snarl, but a nonchalant yawn in the warm sun.

 Tookers is sitting in the window, catching the afternoon sun after rain all morning. Big stretch and yawn, then play with the dangle.

 Time for my annual photos of the cherry blossoms in the rain. I have probably done these every year for this blog, but I just can't resist! They are so fresh and delicate.

I love how they look like little up-side-down bouquets with bows.

TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2012

Back home - how nice to be in the rain and gray! Water is pretty high in the swamp, but not overflowing anywhere.

MONDAY, APRIL 23, 2012

 Flying back home, we passed near Chicago. In Washington state we were about level with these thunderheads, but the flight was pretty smooth.

SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2012

 We brought the kittens' box out into the living room, which was fine until Elvira came back in from outdoors. She wasn't too happy about it, and started grabbing the kittens and taking them back to the place where the box had been sitting in the utility room. So we moved it back there for her.

 Kittens are 11 days old here, and believe it or not, all six are in the photo. From the left: Calico girl, black & white boy, black boy, tortoiseshell girl, second Calico girl, and under her is gray & white boy. Elvira's legs are in the tangle, too.

Here's Elvira with tortoiseshell girl tucked under her chin.

SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 2012

 Today is a one-day retreat with Cris's guild, the Medina Spinning and Weaving Guild. It was held at Furnace Run, part of the Metro Parks. There was a nice lake, with mist rising from it, and a great blue heron hunting near the dam.

 Inside the building was a cozy room behind the fireplace with couches and rocking chairs, where most of the group spun or knitted.

 Cris and I worked in the large open room dying scarves. The building was built by the CCC in the 1930's, but renovated recently. They kept as much as they could, like the timber trusses in the ceiling, and wormy chestnut paneling. It was really nice!

 Despite the rain, we did get out for a wildflower walk, and passed by this memorial stone.

FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012

 Down in the woods on another beautiful day with Mom. A fern found purchase in the roots of a huge beech tree.

 Nearby, we found a few clumps of a native wildflower, the spurred violet. These violets have a long spur sticking out the back.

 Wild phlox in Mom's garden bed in the woods.

Elvira and kittens, 8 days old and eyes are opening!

  Tortoiseshell girl not too happy to be out on the carpet!

One of the two calico girls exploring.

THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2012

Stopped over at Cris's after lunch with Don and Kathy. Here is Isobel!

 This is a very old spinning wheel - it only needed a little fixing up, which Dad helped with. Below is a closeup of the hub.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2012

 Cris and I hiked in a new park near Twinsburg, Liberty Park. It is home to a series of ledges with large cracks and tumbled rocks which create caves where bats roost. Sadly, they have found the white-nose fungus in the caves, which causes the bats to come out of hibernation too early. There is no food, and they either freeze or starve to death. So they have the caves blocked off from human contact, but we could look into one of them, above. Below, the trail leading up to the cave.

 The ledges are quite interesting and we had fun exploring.

 There were several small streams, and this one had a large swath of violets blooming along it.

This stone house was built in the 1830's, and was the original farmhouse. It's now being used as the naturalist's office. We got to go inside!

TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2O12

 Cris took me to the Medina Spinning & Weaving Guild meeting, and Becky was there.

 She was giving a talk about her journey as a weaver, and brought a bunch of wonderful stuff to show!

 And, to top it off, there was a gorgeous sunset.

MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2012

 Kittens, day 5.

SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 2012

A beech tree seedling.

 Went to lunch with the family. 

Later, went on a hike with Gary and Betsy, saw some Dog-Toothed Violets, Trilliums and Fairy Wands.

Gary and Betsy at Hampton Hills.

 Then I stopped to watch the heron rookery for a while.