I have fallen woefully behind on the ABC Along. I am just now getting to H and I think I’m supposed to be on L. Hillary assures me that I can catch up so I’m going to give it a try. Besides, a perfect H fell into my lap.

Actually, this perfect H started when something else fell. Namely, the top of a flag pole. A cast iron top weighing 6 lbs. I’m sure you recall the incident. And I’m sure you recall the spectacular bruising that resulted. Need a reminder?

Pretty gross. However, a few of my readers suggested that those colors might be prettier as yarn than as part of my husband’s face. So I asked my good friend Scout if she was up to the challenge of dyeing some yarn to match Dale’s black eye and of course she was.

Presenting: Heads Up! sock yarn by Scout

Isn’t it awesome? We batted a few names back and forth but I think Heads Up! is the perfect name – and a great reminder to look up when you’re doing stuff like raising a flag because you just never know when a flag pole might fall on your head.

I think the colors are a perfect replica of Dale’s bruise, too. And you guys were right – those colors make very pretty yarn!

I just know it will make even prettier socks. And I just know you all want some, too. Go see Scout and get some Heads Up! for your ownself. Tell her Carole sent you.

I resisted doing G is for Garden since I just posted F is for Flowers. I thought perhaps I was being redundant. But last week I raked out the perennial bed and now every time I walk by it I can’t help but notice how fresh and green it looks. And since there are no flowers this time of year, I think perhaps it’s not redundant after all.

This is my perennial garden. Please ignore the big brown patch in front – yes, we need to re-seed. I moved many of these plants here from my old house when Dale and I got married nearly 11 years ago. People told me it was the wrong time of year and the plants wouldn’t survive and I was wasting my time. They were wrong.

Look at these day lilies. They came from a neighbor at my old house. She was very very old and said these day lilies had been in her yard since she was a little girl. I cannot find this variety in any book. I’ve even checked with a friend who is a day lily expert and she hasn’t been able to identify them. They’ll be in bloom in about a month and I know I’ve posted about them before but I’ll be damned if I can find it.

See the ground phlox? My mother bought me one small flat of this on my first mother’s day in 1993. It has spread and grown and every year when it blooms it brings back such sweet memories.

The peonies are just starting to send up their red shoots. These are the plants everyone said wouldn’t survive the move. I’m really glad they did, though! The gorgeous white blooms always come right in time for Dale’s birthday and he loves them.

This poppy is the first successful poppy I have ever grown. I planted them for years and they never came back but this one is back for the third year running now. Hooray! I love their papery thin bright orange petals.

The iris I could probably live without but they do make a nice tall green back drop for the other plants. And they grow without any effort and there’s a lot to be said for that.

Later in the season there will be tall phlox and hollyhocks, black eyed susans and more, but for right now I love seeing all my plants coming back to me after the long cold winter. It’s the fulfillment of a promise we made to each other. I plant and weed and care for them and they grace me with their beauty. It’s a pretty sweet deal.

I tried to come up with something more original for “F” but I kept drawing a blank. So, flowers it is. I love to take photos of flowers. Whether I’ve got a bouquet or I’m in a garden, whether it’s wildflowers in the woods or poinsettias at Christmas time, give me some flowers to photograph and I’m entertained for a good long while.

I’ve taken lots of photos of flowers since I started blogging. So I took a bunch of those flower photos and made a mosaic.

I like it. And I hope you all do, too.

I know that E is for Egg is not exactly original. Nevertheless, here I am, doing it. Why? Because I love eggs!

I get my eggs from Blogless Sharon’s farm. They are organic, they come in pretty shades of brown, green and blue, and they are delivered right to my door by my dear friend.

They are also fresh. The yolks are a beautiful bright yellow and they taste absolutely delicious whether I’m baking with them or cooking them for breakfast.

I enjoy eggs prepared in a variety of ways, from fried to scrambled to hardboiled, but my favorite is a simple poached egg. Sadly, I cannot make a decent poached egg. I keep trying, but with disappointing results. It’s okay, though, because this way poached eggs are an out-to-breakfast treat.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

How do you like your eggs?