they’re on their way

The hummingbirds are in North Carolina, working their way up the coast.  The way I figure, they should hit SE Pennsylvania in another 7-10 days and be in New England the tail end of April.  I put my feeders out nearly a week before I expect them, just in case there is a speedy little rascal that arrives exhausted and has no energy left for foraging.. or worst case… has arrived before the food here is ready.  Get your  feeders out and ready.  If you haven’t ever gone the Hummingbird site, check it out now.  Pay particular attention to the migration charts.  You can look at the arrival date in your area for many years past and make your own predictions.  It’s fun.  Hummers return to the same area feeders year after year.  It’s their home, afterall.  My little hummers usually arrive in VT the end of the first week of May.  The 7th to be more exact.  Year after year, the same day, or only a day or two off if it’s been particularly lousy weather.  They find me in the house too, checking through all the windows and chattering to me, letting me know they have arrived.  (I’ve had them do the same thing if the feeders go empty, yelling at me to get on the stick, fill ’em up.. bossy little things.)  They are the original garden fairies.  If you haven’t had a feeder before, treat yourself.  You won’t be sorry..  promise.

I have started the seashell scarf.  I’m placing only one bead per row, 30 sts wide,  just for a bit of sparkle.  What a pain to keep pushing all 240 beads down the boucle every row.  They don’t move easily.  I’ve already dropped a couple sts. putting on the shells and had to frog back an inch after only four knitted.  It’s not terribly slow, but you definitely have to pay attention.  No pics yet, it’s going to be hard to show the beads.   I haven’t had much luck showing them off on the other beaded projects. 
I’m posting early.  C has an out patient appt. at the hospital first thing and we’ll be gone by 6am.  I’ll get him home then run back out to pick my neice up from the airport and taking her to her meeting in Newport.  We’ll have the day to hang out together on Friday, maybe hit some LYS.  She’s a knitting newbie.  Fun stuff.