Oh, spring weather has been lovely where I live lately! We got a bike trailer and have been taking Z for rides around town on our awesome bike trails. It’s been fantastic because I haven’t been on my bike so much since having Z, aside from the odd solo trip to get places. It’s great that we can all go places together by bike. That means we get to smell the lilac bushes as we pass them. 
This extra outdoor time has enhanced my oogling all of the gorgeous dogwood and redbud trees in my neighborhood.
April is the best month for flowering trees. They flower quickly and disappear quickly too. I’ve got to absorb as much of them as I can right now. I’m obsessed with the slightly darker pink redbuds, like the one below. They come in a little bit lighter variety, but these darker ones are the ones I covet. 
I’ve also been working on another website. It’s for my counseling work, and has a little blog element for interesting wellness-related articles I read. I want to incorporate therapeutic knitting into more professional practice and I’ve just rented some office space that would be perfect for it!
In other words, I’ve been busy working and having lots of fun, but as always, I keep knitting. Here is the latest shot of my Cocktail(Dress). 
I have joined the front and back, so it should be lots of smooth stockinette sailing from here until the bottom. Maybe, just maybe, I will finish it in time to wear for an upcoming wedding on May 3rd. There are still 11 days left before the wedding, so it’s a possibility, but I’ll have a backup plan just in case. I don’t want to destroy my wrists or stress myself out too much, but since the dissertation is finished, hardly anything seems quite as stressful in perspective. I’ve also updated my Ravelry queue to move some potential summer knits to the top. I’m thinking seriously about the Saco Stripes top with some Shibui linen from my LYS, and I already have some silk yarn I can use for a Cowl Shell.
I also recently learned about a site dedicated to getting info out when indie dyers post new yarns. It’s called Indie Untangled and it’s full of deliciousness. It seems like a good way to learn about more independent dyers and totally enable yarn addictions. Just FYI.
Happy Earth Day! Get out and savor your natural environment if you get a chance.
That’s so cool about incorporating knitting into your professional practice. I am currently getting my masters degree in school counseling, but I have been thinking about art therapy and knitting as a therapeutic outlet a lot. Your dissertation sounded really interesting. I am considering getting my doctorate, but I’m kind of burnt out with school right now.
Such pretty flowers! I miss the lilacs we had in Illinois–the orange blossoms are done here, and while the palo verdes are pretty, they don’t smell like anything.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen orange blossoms in person. I adore the lilacs, but I think the vibrant redbuds are my favorite. I love seeing all of them, and then as soon as they lose their blossoms they seem just like regular trees and disappear for another year. April and October are probably my favorite months for trees.
What a beautiful image!
I am so excited to get back on my bike. My office recently moved downtown, so I’ll be able to start biking to work once the weather gets more reliable.
We’re still a few weeks away from flowering trees, but your photos are making me so excited for that perfume-heavy air. Spring is always great, but after this crazy winter it’s going to seem like magic.
Cassy – knitting is so theraputic – I started knitting at a bad time in my life and it was very comforting. It took my mind off of my problems, in a healty way, if just for a while. As things got better I just kept knitting and now it is simply my passion! Good luck with your new endeavors!
So jealous your lilacs are blooming – ours haven’t bloomed here yet. We had a cold snap a couple of weeks ago and I’m starting to worry that it might have damaged them. But I agree – this time of year with all the flowering trees is just amazing.
I can’t imagine finishing a dress in 11 days. It looks pretty though.
So cute … well done 🙂
I love the dress already 🙂
And I would truly love to hear more about what you are planning to do with therapeutic knitting. Sooooo therapeutic is knitting!!