Home & Garden: April 2023

posted in: Embroidery, The Garden 2023 | 27

The gardens go from bland to sprouting and growing in the month of April. By the end of the month everything looks so green and lush.

The seasonal birds have all returned. The robins are busy with nest making and this year chose one of the shelves on the bakers rack I have in the garden.

a robin's nest on the bakers rack at craftygardener.ca

A couple of days ago I had started to move some decorations to the shelves and the next day I noticed a nest in the corner that wasn’t there when the decorating began. So I left the area and watched from the deck and was lucky to capture a photo of the robin sitting on the nest.

a robin's nest on the bakers rack at craftygardener.ca

The remainder of the decorating on the bakers rack will have to wait till the babies have left the nest.

pollinators on the hyacinth at craftygardener.ca

The pollinators have been busy on the fragrant hyacinth that are blooming. Now they are flying around it is time to clear the debris off the gardens.

the tree garden April 2023 at craftygardener.ca

The red trillium are in bloom in the shady tree garden. Gorgeous to see.

trillium in bloom April 2023 at craftygardener.ca

Other garden areas have lots of green growth.

gardens at craftygardener.ca
the fence garden, the herb garden, the bridge garden
the plants at craftygardener.ca
dame’s rocket, columbine, peonies, rhubarb,

I managed to get a new project started and a rainy weekend at the end of the month will be a good time to work on it.

Home Sweet Home enbroidery at c raftygardener.ca

This is a free pattern from Clever Poppy. You can find the pattern under the Resources heading.

Home Sweet Home enbroidery at c raftygardener.ca

There is a pattern to download with easy to follow instructions.

Home Sweet Home enbroidery at c raftygardener.ca

Here are some photos of the neck light in use. It really lights up the embroidery and is fantastic for using in the evenings. I purchased mine from Amazon but I’m sure you can get them in various craft stores.

I get lots of inspiration from other stitchers at Slow Sunday Stitching and appreciate all the visits and comments from there. Visit them and gather some inspiration for yourself.

making gluten free goulash at craftygardener.ca

The month had very changeable weather, from days when we dressed in summer outfits and had bbq’s to chilly days when I cooked my version of goulash. There was an abundance of rain for the last two days of the month.

Sharing with: Saturday’s Critters and I’d Rather B Birdin

garden line

More from the gardener side: garden areas, bulbs, corms & tubers, plant profiles, seeds & seedpods, veggies & herbs,

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27 Responses

  1. Eileen

    Hello, Linda

    Spring is a beautiful time of the year, I like seeing all the plants come alive. The beautiful flowers, your Trillium is so pretty. It is nice to help the pollinators, which are so important to us all. The birds seem to sing louder, I like the cute Robin on the nest. Your goulash looks yummy, I have to try it soon. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great weekend. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.

  2. Debbie

    those robins pick the darndest places to nest, don’t they?? they are so sweet looking sitting on their nests!!

    your garden is so pretty, so eclectic, it is really coming alive. mine is as well!! i also have one of those lights for around my neck, i use it when i knit!!

  3. Robin

    Hi Linda, hasn’t this been a crazy month weather wise? Your gardens look wonderful. The Robin nesting in your rack is lovely. You get to see the babies born and raised! Your neck light is great. Your goulash looks delicious. Definitely a weekend to stay indoors and cosy.
    Take care.❤️

  4. Lavender Dreams

    How nice to have the Robins nest there. Love seeing your early blooms and that yummy goulash too. We had sloppy Joes last night and they were good.

  5. Gail

    Lots of rain here too! Everything is looking very lush and green in your garden and mine. A friend has one of those neck lights and loves it. I have an Ott lamp right beside me when I stitch. Very pretty embroidery project you have started. Great theme for this time of year.

  6. CathieJ

    I’m surprised the robins picked such an exposed place to make their nest. Great viewing for you though. I added that neck light to my Amazon Cart. I think it will be great for nighttime car trips too. Your gardens are really coming to life. We have had very few warm days. It is cool and cloudy most days with rain for the last two.

    • Crafty Gardener

      The robins usually pick the outside light right by the back door, so at least this is a bit further away. Not the ideal spot I would of chose, but by the time I found the nest the robin was sitting on it. The neck light is great for reading at night too, or in the vehicle. Hoping for some more warm weather once May starts.

  7. Sarah

    Lovely to have the birds nesting in your garden! They do nest in very vulnerable places though!

  8. Diann@LittlePenguinQuilts

    Your garden is looking green and lovely! It takes until the end of May for us to see that here in Colorado. Love the robin in her nest on the baker’s rack! Won’t if be fun to watch them raise those babies?! That embroidery design is so sweet – thanks for the link!

  9. Julie

    Wonderful pictures of the robin nesting, I have plenty feeding in my garden with other birds but wouldn’t have anywhere to put a nesting area for a robin that’s safe. I have one box for the blue tits which is nice to see.
    We are having warm weather with showers at the moment then it goes cold again . Nice to see your stitching, have a lovely week.

  10. Joy O'Connor

    Hello Linda ! I love your photos of the robin on her nest .. we have a nest against the railings of our deck .. they seem to pick the same spot every year. Today we are in full rain mode and I feel so sorry for the birds and insects … but we needed the rain, it should have happened in April though, so we are a month off of schedule ? My trilliums haven’t bloomed yet but their foliage is looking very good so far. Nice to see such pretty photos first thing this morning ! You are so right about the leap forward this time of year … I can barely keep up with it !

    • Crafty Gardener

      Hi Joy, how are things down Kingston way? The robin usually picks over the deck light, but we had a new one installed last year and it I guess it isn’t suitable for the nest. This is the first time they have picked the bakers rack. It is still raining into May, looking forward to warmer temperatures and dry weather to get back outside. Have a great day.

  11. Jenny Benton

    How lovely to have a Robin family to watch and enjoy, although I do hope the nest is not within cat range? Perhaps the birds are first time parents and didn’t think about building their nest so low?

    • Crafty Gardener

      I’m hoping the same thing Jenny, this spot if lower than they usually pick but it is hidden bit, so fingers crossed the eggs will hatch.

  12. Debbie- Dabble

    Linda,
    Thanks so much for stopping by and also thanks for letting me know where you purchased your neck light..I will be getting one for myself!!
    Hugs,
    Deb

    • Crafty Gardener

      Hi Deb, hope you enjoy the neck light. It is still raining here, waiting for warmer temperatures so I can get back outside and spend time sitting on the deck. Have a good day.

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