New Orchid blooms, Farmers market, and Felting with Paper

I'm loving this orchid that was given to me a few months ago! Such gorgeous flowers!

I was thrilled with the first blossom.

Mother's Day flowers and four loaves of sourdough bread for the Farmer's Market. Sid also made some whole wheat loaves and whole wheat focaccia. He's all about sourdough these days. Yes, that's a kiddie pool in the background, lots of baby chicks, ducklings, and turkeys hatching around here.

 I've been taking Fiona Duthie's online Felting with Paper class. It's wonderful, she's a great teacher with so much knowledge to share. But the paper I got was different from the usual paper in the brand she recommended. So I fell way behind when it wouldn't perform the same way. Fiona sent me a sheet of her paper and it made all the difference!

The sample on the left was made with the uncooperative paper, the sample on the right is so much nicer made with the correct paper I got from Fiona and black merino wool.

Another sample with white merino wool, permanent ink and cut-out paper shapes.

I experimented felting some spun lace (was a dye blanket in medium printing) and white merino. This combination will make excellent lampshades.

The drake waits while the duck sets on her eggs. He's a lonely guy these days with both the duck hens setting on eggs. 

This little deer was pretty interested in me the other evening when I took a walk.