Manchester tribute wall hanging

Since I last wrote I have been distracted from sewing by the garden.  Due to frosts I had to replace my busy lizzies (impatiens) and marigolds that really, really did not like the 27°F (-3°C) nights we had last week. Last Saturday we woke up to snow on the ground and intermittent flakes throughout the day.  However good things do come to those who wait and spring has arrived for its brief annual appearance, the trees are burgeoning with green leaves, I have seen my first ruby throated hummingbird of the year and the sun feels warm!

Today I went to our local nursery and picked up all the plants for our outdoor hydroponics system.  We will be growing tomatoes of various sizes, peppers (sweet and hot), aubergines (eggplants), basil, cucumbers and trying for melons.  I have also stocked the flower pots with annuals to give us some colour in our shady treed garden, I move the pots around so that each gets its turn in the sunny spots.  The veg garden will get cauliflowers, onions, radishes, carrots and parsnips as well as a variety of herbs.



My "Sunflowers for Manchester" wall-hanging is finished and in place on the wall over our dining table.  As I did the quilting I left 22 petals unquilted to represent the 22 innocent lives taken the night of 22nd May 2017 at the Manchester Arena.

In the kitchen I have been making bread of various sorts - my usual part white/part wholemeal (wholewheat) rolls, an attempt to get hot dog rolls of the correct size and shape and, last but not least, my first try at sourdough bread after being gifted some starter by my elder son's girlfriend.  I baked the sourdough in my tagine and it came out looking excellent!