Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Spring Fever?

I think I have Spring Fever. Does anyone know what the symptoms are? I'm busy, but I just feel so...hmmm....unfocused. I'm not doing anything I SHOULD be doing...I just feel like wandering around, doing a little bit of everything.

For instance, I have this incredibly lovely stack of fabric that I got for Christmas last year:


And this perfectly wonderful pattern to make it into:

But I don't feel like tackling a big project right now! My attention span is too short. So I do silly things like this:

I made a thrifted pillowcase into an apron. I think it came out pretty...but still...


I have an entire stack of perfectly wonderful new crisp fabric waiting for me...and I'm sewing together old sheets again. What is wrong with me??

I did finish a useful pair of socks:


These are my "Jury Duty" socks. I started them as a mindless, chartless project when I was called for jury duty...but my case got cancelled (yay!) and I was stuck with finishing the world's most boring sock pattern. I like the yarn--it's Misti Alpaca. Very warm and soft, which are my two favorite qualities in a sock.

But then I went back to sewing old dishtowels:

Can you guess what this is? Here it is, unrolled:


And unflapped:


My dpn's now have a cozy little bed to sleep in. I used two Martha Stewart dishtowels, some batting, and a bit of fabric to make the flap. Don't they look cute all tucked in?


Spring fever, I tell you.

As long as my mind is wandering, I'll tell you about my new favorite cereal:


I'm on a gluten-free diet now, just to see what happens. It's been two weeks and so far, I don't feel much different. Maybe gluten was responsible for my former longer attention span...you think? Nah. Anyway, this stuff is yummy! I think the box is happy, too. Can't you just see a quilt in all those colors?

Speaking of yummy, it's lychee time of year again:


These are so sweet and tasty. Have you ever had lychee? You peel back the red skin and eat the flesh, which tastes a bit like a grape, but more floral-tasting. These are not quite ready; they'll get redder and sweeter.

My orchids are showing off right now:


Hello, my pretties. Do you have Spring Fever, too?

While I'm wandering around the yard, this new little family crosses my path:



The yard is so lovely, I just may stay out here and wander a bit.

Is there any cure for this?

22 comments:

Joy said...

Mmmm, just throw me in the Lychee patch ... or is it bush?? Or tree?? Doesn't matter, throw me there anyway - I love Lychees!!
How gorgeous that you had a visiting chook family, they're so cute!!
Hugs,
Joy ;o)

anne from finland said...

Your orchid is great! I tasted Lychees once in Madeira.
I´ve similar spring fever symptoms as you, but I´m sure summer will cure them! I can hardly wait to begin my summer holiday.

Pat said...

I've never tasted lychees BUT I sure have had spring fever MANY times!!! And..hey...don't berate yourself. At least you are getting SOME projects done.....could be worse as you might just be wandering aimlessly and finishing NOTHING. LOL *sigh* To have orchids in MY yard....wouldn't that be lovely?

Anonymous said...

Great photos, love all the stuff in them. I need to buy some DPNs, do you have a particular kind that you love?

Unknown said...

I have spring fever for sure! It finally arrived here in New England Yay!! Thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures. I wish it was as easy to say that a diet was the reason for taking away a longer attention span. Then it would be easily fixed. Oh well, I think that I have the same problem but I am not on a gluten free diet.

The Calico Cat said...

Now that I know "how" to eat a lychee & what to expect - I'll try one - when I see one. :o)

Salem Stitcher said...

I've never even heard of a lychee. The world is full of wondrous things. No wonder our minds wander.

I love the little dishtowel roll you made for the "whatever those pointy things are". (I guess they are for knitting or maybe a voodo ritual?) I could use one for my rug hooking supplies. I might try to figure that out.

Happy Wanderings!

tami said...

Oh NOW I know what is wrong with me. I have Spring Fever too. I haven't been able to stir myself enough to get anything done lately. I am having a horrible time focusing at work. What is the cure?
The projects you have finished are lovely. I have been designing a knitting needle roll in my head for a while. I need to get over this fever so I can move it from my head to fabric.

Sally said...

I don't think I've ever had lychee...hmmmm. For some reason I've always thought they were more of a nut than a fruit - shows you what I know!

The orchids are absolutely lovely.

Spring fever ....(smacks head with heel of hand) - that's what's wrong with me! Thanks for the diagnosis, Dr. Lisa! Now where is the cure? Let us know if you figure it out, 'k?

MichelleB said...

If you find a cure, please let me know! Love your knitting needle sleeping bag. Very cute! And the socks are great. I'm on my way to completing my first pair! LOL

imquilternity said...

Even though you say the pattern for the socks is boring, they certainly are not! They are gorgeous! Your knitting needle holder is wonderful too and you've just given me inspiration for a gift for a friend. Thank you!

Dionne said...

I've had Lychee IN things, but never as a fresh fruit! Mmmmm, something new. I think your socks are wonderful1 I really must learn to make socks. Perhaps I should learn to knit first though.
Cheers,
Dionne

ilovebabyquilts said...

Cute chickies! I have the same thing wrong with me. I'm supposed to be making my son a sixth birthday quilt but instead i'm making one my sister wants me to piece for her friend. Weird!

susan said...

you creep! i forgot about lychees and now i am going to be craving them for weeks to come. ever tried freezing them. cynthia turned me on to that trick. i am so lame, in past posts, remember the monkey socks i thought the red ruffle at top was something you knitted, now i see they are actually sock forms. what a ditz i can be at times. i sold my alpaca lady a really nice wheel of wonder table runner, for $75 and i told her i would take trade...big smile all around. was able to get the rest of super wash for max's afghan and this really kool alpaca pin that has a circle incorporated at the bottom that you loop your reading classes thru...in silver...so neat and shows i am a paca lover :-) She sells finished garments at her shop and there was this red felted came with scarf that was to die for, price....$220, not bad when you think about all the yarn/fleece that went into it. we had another beautiful day but now it is raining. picked up the nine high bush blueberries i ordered last fall. mark will dig up rest of that area and plant them tomarrow so we will officially have a 16 plant blueberry patch of our own. yipee!!!!!!

ladydi said...

After finishing a big project I'm always ready for the smaller fun stuff. Your bed quilt qualifies as a VERY BIG PROJECT! You go, girl, with the fun stuff. I'm sure your knitting needles (the ones not residing in the wall sconce :>}) are delighted to be in their own little sleeping bag. Are you missing gluten? I can't do self denial to that degree - I LOVE gluten.

artfilstitch said...

Now I know just what my problem is..."BIG case of Spring Fever", just hope we all recover soon. I love your apron and little case for your dpn's. Your socks will be very cozy when cooler weather comes. Waiting to see what your new fabric turns into.
Liz

Mary Anne Drury said...

I've been unfocused pretty much since January!! I'm hoping to snap out of it soon ..... but I think it's also a kind of midlife crisis thing combined with spring fever .... and the only cure is a hot fudge sundae .... oh, and some new fresh, happy fabric ... oh, and cash ... cash is always good ...

Anyhow .... cute socks AND love the pretty apron and CUTE dishtowel roll ....(I could store my tootsie rolls in there......)

Jo Anne said...

Well seems that Spring Fever is in the air for everyone! Must be all that lychee on the trees and the beautiful orchids in bloom.
I love the button closure on your needle case!

Libby said...

Nope - no cure . . . . just go with the fever and enjoy *s*

Cathi said...

What a fabulous DPN case!
I can't imagine having orchids in the yard. How lovely!

Mokihana said...

Hand over dem lychees and no one gets hurt! I am drooling all over my keyboard. I used to have a neighbor in Manoa Valley who would bring us bags and bags of lychees..

big big sigh....

lorrwill said...

Great post. I like the way your mind wanders. I am not gluten free and have about the same attention span; I call myself "Easily Distracted Girl" (even though I have not technically been a girl for 3 decades).

Oh thank goodness that skirt book is good. I bought it based on reviews. Yours turned out cute! Want to kiss the kittehs. Lurve the owl. And the farm animals and the quilts and the cookies. I have cooked with lychees and love them. See, great Short Attention Span Theater post!