More April Showers

 We've just been having the craziest weather lately. Today's weather actually started out as rain.....then it changed to snow. Lots and lots of snow. Snowed heavy and hard for over 3 hours before it finally tapered off......and changed back to rain. I took this picture from the back door. The trees looked so pretty covered in snow. Cavi, my guardian llama can be seen standing under them. Jack, one of my alpacas is laying down  next to a tree. Everyone else had taken cover either in the barns or under the overhangs. It was a really wet, heavy snow. I'm sure the flock is happy that shearing hasn't happened yet. Everyone still has their winter coats to help them cope with this crazy weather.

Once the snow tapered off and changed to rain, the little birds came back out. I got lucky and was able to get a photo of a few of them out by the feeders in the backyard. Of course, right after I took this about a dozen little birds came flying in. Unfortunately they all flew out again before I could touch the camera. We get everything from Black Capped Chickadees and

Sparrows to Mountain Bluebirds. Doves and Quails also like to visit the birdfeeders. I really enjoy watching them.  :.)

Thought I would include a picture of what I've been working on lately. It's a wool applique sampler called "Spring Sampler". The pattern is by Bonnie Sullivan of All Through the Night. It's been a wonderful way to pass the time....stitching on my sampler while watching it snow.  :.)

A little bit about the piece. The background is linen (which I'm thinking about coffee-dyeing once done to "age" it a bit). A variety of wool is being used. Pretty much everything from hand-dyed (which I did!!) to over-dyed (the bee hive) to "re-purposed". When complete this piece will fit in a commercial 16" x 20" frame. This has been a really fun piece to do.