Still No Spring

Well, spring still hasn't come to Wisconsin. 

In my Magical Garden, Veronica here is looking over dirt and mud as if to say, "For the love of God, grow!!"

Gabriella has simply given in to despair and collapsed in grief.

But there's some hope that Spring is on the way.  Some tulips poking out:

Some crocus emerging amid the snow:

The irises my friend The Gardener gave me last year look like they were a successful transplant.  They're out by the curbside so, hopefully, my sloppy neighbors don't squash them:

And finally, I left these nurserty pots of sorrel on the side, too lazy tired at the end of the season to dig a hole and throw them in anywhere.  Sorrel is a perennial and it looks like one of the two survived.  Hopefully they'll last enough so I can plant them for real:

Since spring clearly doesn't want to come to Wisconsin, I continue to try and cure my cabin fever indoors.  This past weekend, I tried a new pattern, Simplicity 2615.

I've been in search of a blouse with either kimono or raglan sleeves because I am sick of setting in sleeves.  I also wanted one that had no buttons down the front, since my bustiness makes positioning buttons a real chore.

I'm not sure I completely love it becuase the tie, combined with the gathered fabric might, I worry, create a maternity top effect over my potbelly.

But the fabric I used is a bit stiff.  I'm going to try it again with a more drapey fabric and see how the effect is.  I really like the pattern since it was incredibly easy to work with.