Yep, Spring has definitely arrived, hooray!
We have spent the whole weekend out in the garden, sorting out the lawn (which is now mostly mud thanks to the very wet winter), tidying the beds ready for veg planting and just soaking up the wonderful warmth of the sun. It seems that we aren’t the only ones sunbathing either as the plum tree is a magnet for Peacock butterflies emerging from hibernation. We often find them hibernating in the wood pile – they make the most alarming sound with their wings when disturbed and we’re always careful to rebuild a shelter for them when we take wood away to burn on the stove. At one point this morning I counted six of them fluttering around and feeding from the tree blossom (which must be one of the earliest and most abundant food sources available to them), it was a truly magical sight.
Despite the closed wings I love this picture below because you can see that lovely spiralled proboscis
There must be a feast of nectar up there because there have also been loads of bees buzzing around the thousands of blossoms that are open on the tree at the moment.
It’s so nice to have warm, bright days here again and to be able to be outside without getting soaked or shivering! Everything feels more manageable when the sun is shining 🙂
I’ve also taken advantage of the brighter weather to take some pictures of my finished Dream Stripes shawl (details of pattern and yarn here).
I’m really pleased with how it has turned out and with how blocking really accentuates those lovely points – I’ve never actually been bothered to wet block anything before – a quick steam block under a damp cloth is usually the best my projects can expect, but that wasn’t going to cut the mustard here so I’m glad I took the time to wet block this time.
Now I just have to work out how to wear it – Amy tells me I look like a granny with the way I’m currently wearing it (you can always rely on a teenager for brutal honesty, thanks my lovely for your kind words). So, any tips on cool shawl wearing would be gratefully received!
little cotton rabbits 
I’m not sure what to rhapsodize about first, the butterflies, tree blossoms or the gorgeous shawl. With snow still on the ground here, I enjoyed your happy springtime post. My bouquet of grocery store tulips is giving me a hint of things to come. I wish I had a tip on “cool shawl wearing”.
Karen
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I for one am so glad Spring has finally sprung , it makes me feel like it’s time for a fresh start and begin life once again. Sorry I can’t help with the shawl wearing but it is beautiful. x
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Your shawl is gorgeous! How I envy your butterflies and the abundance of blossoms, Spring really does exist! In our part of the world we are anticipating another 2 snowstorms and still have ugly piles of snirt ( snow and dirt) gracing ever corner! As for shawl wearing just “google” – “ways to wear a shawl”, an amazing number of styles!
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chuckle I often look at shawls and thing mmm one would be nice but also scared I’d look like a granny.
Lovely butterfly snap with her proboscis.
Enjoy spring – we are saying goodbye to summer (wasn’t the best on record)- being a sun lover I often dream of having two homes one in the northern hemisphere and the other in the southern so I could live in spring and summer all year round.
Love Leanne Nz
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Beautiful butterfly shot Julie – I haven’t seen many peacocks in recent years. And beautiful shawl, my grey shawl is plodding along very slowly.
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Hello Julie
Gorgeous, gorgeous , gorgeous !!
Your photo’s are quite stunning with the detail that you have captured. Your blossom seems to be a little further along than ours here in Wiltshire, and as yet I haven’t spied any butterflies.
Isn’t it amazing to feel the warmth from the sun again ?
And then your shawl ……. I adore it ! As always your colours are quite sublime together, and all made so neatly.I too have just finished a shawl ( isn’t blocking amazing ? ) and I too am trying out different ways to wrap myself in it !
I say.. lets embrace the granny look !!
Have a good week,
Kate x
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Your shawl is just lovely, I would wear it so happily! We are still in winter so your blooming trees are pure hope for spring!
Enjoy your new shawl!
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You must be a lovely girl as your handwork is so beautiful.
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Your shawl is beautiful. I am loving shawls at the moment. Pleasurable to knit and wear. Wear did you get that lovely yarn – looks a good drape!
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I have never seen this variety of butterfly. It’s beautiful and your photos are stunning. We don’t have blossoms yet but hopefully spring will arrive here soon. I love the color of your shawl. It looks anything but Granny-like.
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o. m. g. i love that shawl its gorgeous
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I do not wear shawls, so I’m no help to you there. But it’s beautiful!
Also, that tree is stunning. What kind is it?
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It was such a beautiful day, I couldn’t believe it when I saw the butterflies either, such a jolly sight! Your shawl is coming along wonderfully, the colours are super!
Katie
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Sorry, just reread the post. Somehow missed that you said it is a plum. Ignore me! 😛 I’m pregnant and I think I’m losing my mind.
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That’s what flowers look like? Our new home has zero landscaping. I sure do miss the trees and flowers. Your shawl is lovely.
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Oh my…..I am so envious of your early Spring! We here in Southern Ontario…and all over Canada….we are still in the -0 freeze of winter….although somehow the snow is starting to melt..goes to show that nature has everything under control. But it will be weeks, if not months before we see blossoms here…and those butterflies! You live in a magical world.
Your shawl is gorgeous – I love the subtle striping. How about wearing it as more of a neck wrap than a shawl. Hold it out in front of you….wrong side facing you and place the ends over your shoulders…..like a bib….then take those ends and bring them back around the front (around your neck) and gently loop them…pull the shawl up a little and over the loops…play with it…..this is my favourite way to wear my “shawls”.
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I Julie, your shawl looks beautiful, so delicate and lovely. Blue skies and sunshine too what could be better. Good luck sorting out your shawl wearing,i have a chunky one that I wear backwards and wrap the tails around my neck so it’s like a big chunky scarf but this may not work for your lovely delicate shawl. XxBrenda
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You take lovely pictures of nature!
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Oooh that shawl is just gorgeous and I LOVE the colours xx
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A magnificent tree and a magnificent shawl. I’m sure you won’t look anything like a granny wearing it!
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Lovely photos Julie! Hasn’t it been nice to have lovely weather? Your shawl is so beautiful that I don’t think it matters how you wear it!! X
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That is one beautiful shawl and your pictures are wonderful too ♥
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Your photos are amazing Julie, I tried to photograph a peacock buttefly last summer and it wouldn’t stay still long enough. What a fantastic amount of blossom on your tree too…beautiful.
I’m afraid the good weather didn’t get this far today, it was very damp here but it was my daughters birthday and we had a great day anyway.
Spread out, your shawl looks like a pretty butterfly too. Try wearing it with the point at the front like a big scarf…see if that gets the teenage approval! 🙂
V xx
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I say wear however with pride it is beautiful. My daughter tells me the same thing. Your tree is also beautiful and has so many blossoms. The butterflies must be a joy to watch. We are just going into Autumn here after a long, hot and dry summer. How I wish we could just have Spring and Autumn.
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Love your beautiful shawl, Julie! There are several videos on “you tube” that show different ways to wear a shawl and one that I like particulary like called “25 ways to wear a scarf in 4.5 minutes”. She uses triangular scarves as well as other shapes. Might spark some ideas for you! It is a fun video to watch. I did a search for ways to wear scarves/shawls and several others popped up too.
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Dear Spring,
Please come visit Oklahoma and bring those beautiful butterflies with you!
Your Friend,
Winter
The shawl is heavenly and should be worn in whatever manner that pleases you. I wear my shawls in different ways, sometimes as kerchiefs, sometimes as scarves, but I always have one handy and one on the needles. Last but not least—Teenagers may know fashion, but they seldom know style.
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Wow, our plum tree is only just budding, you must have your own micro-climate!
Your shawl is gorgeous, love the delicacy of it. I get away with wearing my shawls with the point at the front and the ends round the back then hanging either side of my neck – it’s a bit hot sometimes though!
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Love your shawl. And what’s wrong with the granny look 😉 Teenagers!!
Try wearing it with the backpoint over one shoulder and join with a loose knot on the other shoulder. But I think the backpoint on your back and the fronts loosely knotted on your front looks lovely too. Let it lay softly on your shoulders, not tight. Just don’t listen too much to your teenager (LOL).
Kind regards from The Netherlands,
Hannie
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What lovely, gentle photos, so full of promise for the year ahead! I love the blue edging to the shawl – it looks unusual and highlights the points. Peacock butterflies are my favourite British insect but I haven’t seen any yet this year – plenty of bumbles though! I hope Toby enjoyed the return of the sunshine and weather that makes it more pleasant to be outdoors a lot.
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Your shawl is beautiful – really, stunning! I can’t imagine that you look anything other than wonderful in it – despite what any teenager might think! Your butterfly pictures are amazing, so clear and precise and beautiful! xx
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Hello Lovely Julie :o)
What a beautiful post, your plum tree is stunning and how wonderful for the wildlife, a sight for sore eyes after the terrible winter weather this year.
Your shawl is stunning, whenever I pop over here to read your posts, there is always something so beautiful that I almost fall off my chair, you are an inspiration, thank you x
Love Jooles x x x
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With a shawl that beautiful you can embrace your inner granny and wear it however you please (though backwards is popular with the young hipsters methinks)!
And isn’t it amazing how different a little sunshine makes us feel?
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There is beauty everywhere and you captured it! Love your shawl. I just finished the Cladonia last month and started another right away, but I think yours is lovely and might just have to add it to my ravelry que. You are always inspiring to me! I just wrap my shawls around my neck (backwards) and add a shawl pin. This style is particularly pretty that way because the lace falls all around in layers. So pretty!
We are still under quite a bit of snow, but I thank you for sharing your butterflies and blooms with us. I hope in a month or 2 to have the same view from my window.
Good luck with the garden plantings.
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Love your gentle shawl….perhaps Amy might be persuaded to drape it for you? Saw peacock butterflies today in our patch…but they looked in vain for our plum tree which has buds…and that ‘s all….thank heavens for the winter flowering honeysuckle as a nectar stop! Your tree is a wonder…let’s hope for lots of sunny days for the trees…and us! Jxx
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That butterfly! Gorgeous! And your new shawl look so Springy! Very nice!
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A truly lepidoptorial post! Your shawl, when spread to reveal its glory, looks like a beautiful moth.
I have never seen a peacock butterfly, it looks magical. I can’t believe you were able to get such a gorgeous picture.
Happy Spring to you!
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Your shawl is lovely and I perhaps all daughters are alike this is a post I did back in 2008. http://thestitchingroom.blogspot.com.au/2008/05/honestly-i-dont-feel-100.html
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Your shawl is wonderful! Thank you for sharing. It’s nice to know that spring has arrived in your part of the world. Here in Southern Ontario, we had a beautiful day with temperatures hovering around 9 degrees Celsius. My Sweetie and I traveled to Niagara Falls today and ended up visiting the Butterfly Conservatory. What an amazing experience that was with hundreds of butterflies as magnificent as the one in your photo. Tomorrow I expect to snuggle up with a pot of Earl Grey tea and finish my LCR bunny since we are expecting 10 to 15 cm of snow in the next 12 hours – snow days always provide a good excuse to knit, in my opinion. I will post pictures when the bunny is complete.
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Such a beautiful post, Julie! Your photos of the blossom and the butterflies are breathtaking, a real joy to see. And your shawl is absolutely gorgeous! I love the colours and the pattern, and the perfect lace edge 🙂
Wishing you happy sunny days.
Helen xxx
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Stunning photos!
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Oh my word. Am in complete awe of your shawl. It is so neat and the stitches so tiny. You must have the patience and perseverance of a saint. Think this is absolutely marvellous. I love to crochet and dabble in a bit if knitting, am fairly happy with my results but wow. Again I am in awe. Po over if you have time and see my blog. You would be most welcome x
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The shawl is beautiful. As to how to wear it – I say, wear it any way you like, and wear it with confidence! If you do that, you will look like YOU, and no one else.
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Your shawl is beautiful, I like to wear mine with the point in front and the sides round my neck and hanging on the sides (sorry if this is not clear, my English is not perfect). Your photos of the tree and butterfly are gorgeous. Anne
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That shawl really is fabulous. I’m told by my daughters that point at the front is better than point at the back – that’s how I usually wear mine – but that if you can manage an artful point at the side all the better!
Happy spring Julie xxx
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Love your blog and love your shawl, I’m feeling the urge to look out yarn and needles, you are an inspiration.
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Your shawl is absolutely beautiful Julie. I so enjoy your colour choices – soft and feminine. And the Spring trees are such a feast to admire.
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Beautiful pictures! Sping kinda arrived here in Germany too (it can’t decided if it wants to stay though) but I haven’t seen any butterflies yet.
Take care,
Anne
http://crochetbetweentwoworlds.blogspot.de
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beautiful shawl and gorgeous photos of the flowers and butterflies. It is a lovely time of the year when we start seeing color and feeling warmth again.
Lisa
http://www.needlesandwool.blogspot.ca
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Beautiful photos and beautiful shawl!
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How can I be advise about the little cotton toys ? I want buy one but I don’t know when you but them in sell.
Thanks in advance 🙂
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The shawl is beautiful. I joined a local knit and natter group a few weeks ago and I’m amazed at the skill involved in knitting. I am starting on some easy things – crochet has been more my thing until now 🙂
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I love your shawl
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