Fleeting

Spring in a less tropical climate has given me a fresh perspective on beauty. While we have our share of beautiful flowers in Florida, I find myself perpetually amazed at the transformation I see around me here in Virginia. (By the way, "here in Virginia" still seems a bit surreal after living in Florida for 15 years!) When we first arrived, it still seemed like winter. Now, there is a profusion of beauty in every direction!

Fleeting beauty. Already, the camellias I pilfered from the bush by our house are almost gone, their petals carpeting the ground below. 

The trees that were just budding a few weeks ago are now covered in fresh, green leaves. Some are laden with so many blossoms that I wonder how the branches can support their weight! 

There are so many trees here -- I didn't even realize how many until the leaves began to unfurl. The beauty of the sunlight filtering through the leaves still takes my breath away. There really is no word to describe that exact shade of sun-kissed green! 

I'm soaking up each facet of this glorious season, since we'll soon be moving to a place with even less seasonal change than the Sunshine State!

But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; 

the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; 

or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; 

and the fish of the sea will declare to you. 

Who among all these does not know that 

the hand of the Lord has done this? 

In his hand is the life of every living thing 

and the breath of all mankind.

Job 12:7-10

Spring

Moving several hundred miles north in the middle of March gave us a second chance at Spring. And while Spring in Florida was nice in its own way, I've discovered I love Spring in Virginia even more!

Of course, that could be because we actually have *grass* at this house. We had grass (or something like it) in Florida, but it was nothing like the lush profusion sprouting outside our door here. It helps that we're not responsible for watering or mowing it (some of the perks of our current rental!). 

I can't believe how big our Laddie is getting! He was quite content lying in the
shade of a pear tree on his quilt (made by a dear friend).

Within a few weeks of our arrival the pear trees were in full, glorious bloom:

I must admit that I can't stand the smell of Bradford pear blossoms (they remind me of frying mushrooms. Go figure), but I was happy to trade off the smell for a few weeks of beauty. 

 It's good to finally feel more settled. There's an odd box here and there, and a few items that haven't found homes yet, but for the most part we've figured out our new routine here. I'm really shocked by just how much we've gotten rid of during the unpacking process. I thought we'd cleared out pretty well before we left, but apparently my standards of "worth keeping" having gotten stricter since then! Which is fine with me. I'm enjoying having less to worry about and maintain.

I'm also getting the hang of the grocery stores here -- we have one less than a mile from our house, which is luxuriously handy. I still do most of my shopping at the local military commissary, but I've found that there are usually a few sale items worth snagging each week. Strawberries for $1 a pound? Can't say no to that!

We're continuing to explore our area, meet new friends, and learn what it is to start fresh in a new place. It's already exciting, and I know that the real adventure lies ahead when we move again in a few months.

But for now, settling down feels very good indeed!

Dot to Dot (Or, "Yet Another Izzy")

This is, by my count, my sixth incarnation of the fabulous Izzy pattern (you can see the others here)! If you've been here even a short time, you've probably already noticed my fascination obsession with this pattern. This is a fever that not even more cowbell can cure! But that's okay. This is one addiction I'm more than happy to feed. 

I made up a 3T for my 2 1/2 year old, and it's great now with room to grow. Hopefully this Izzy will have a long life as a dress and then as a tunic!

I paired grey polka-dot cotton with a remnant of linen in "Meadow" that I'd purchased for next-to-nothing some time ago. I love the color combination (though it's super difficult to get the colors right on a computer monitor!).

This time I notched the collar for a little detail -- I also lined the bodice with the cotton, and I like the look of it peeking out when it's on the hanger! 

Pockets, too -- just because. They were simple to draft, and help bring the whole thing together.

I added a band of linen to the bottom (double the desired width + seam allowance, folded in half and stitched right-side-together to the skirt). Though I did end up shortening the dress by several inches after taking these photos; despite my efforts, it ended up far too long for Rosa! 

A vintage mother-of-pearl button secures the back.

This was my first sewing project since arriving in Virginia -- I cut it out before bed and stitched it the next day. Just in time for a trip to IKEA the day after! It was a long trek, but well worth it -- oh Poang, how we love your comfortable curves! *wink*

It's been a flurry of activity here, but I hope to post a bit more regularly soon. Right now we're in the aftermath of a washer that flooded our utility room and part of the kitchen, so we'd appreciate prayers for a swift (and relatively inexpensive) resolution to that problem. In the meantime, I hope you're enjoying Spring wherever-you-are as much as we are!