Welcome, Spring!

Has it really been over a week since I've popped in here? Blame it on spring fever - or as the Mice President likes to call it, "shiny object syndrome". ...

What can I say, I'm easily distracted. ;)

Spring is sprouting all over here; super early daffodils and crocuses, and hyacinths too. But strangest of all are the lilac blooms! Unheard of in March...

Can you see them?

Our neighbor's forsythia is spilling over into our yard, and I just love it. Must plant one myself, I think...

The Old Lincoln roses by the front porch are already filling out nicely, and we should have blooms before too long...

Still no takers for the little bird roosts we hung, but they all love the feeder (especially the greedy little squirrels, hehe)...Of course, everyone scatters the minute I open the door to take a photograph, but you get the idea. And oh my, look at all the blossoms sprouting on the dogwood...

The kitties just LOVE watching all the activity from their perch by the front window. Must try to capture a shot of that. :)

Here's one of our cheery daffodils, out by the front fence...

They're such happy flowers, don't you think?

And I just love the early spring moss covering the bricks around the koi pond, and the ground cover beginning to spread (some sort of succulent, but I don't know the name)...

Even the fish - normally still dormant this time of year - are active! We've already begun feeding them their "transition" food, and soon it will be time to fill in the pond with a few annual water plants...

In the studio, I've been immersed in painting a spring pieces too - in progress at the moment is another St. Gertrude piece, a tri-fold wooden screen. She's coming along nicely, and should be finished later today...

I just love that there's a patron saint of cats and gardeners. There's also a patron saint of dogs, st Rocco - must paint him some time too. :)

Also in the works are two more Easter platters - one already claimed, and one up for grabs very soon. I'll be posting peeks on facebook as they progress, so do drop by (the link an be found on the right sidebar). And I'm so hoping to complete a piece for the EHAG Art Guild and PFATT Group's "Screampunk" challenge, but between the full studio schedule, and more health issues for John, I'm just not sure - wish me luck!

How about you? Is it spring in your neck of the woods? Are you distracted by flowers and birdsong? Or are you in the other hemisphere and anticipating autumn now? Wherever you are, I do hope you're finding time to enjoy Mother Nature's blessings.

Well, I'd best get back to the studio now - so many ideas and sketches, so little time to complete them all! But I had to take a few minutes to "visit" this morning. Like I said, shiny object syndrome, hehe...

I'll try to be back much sooner next time. :)

Until then,
♥ Carolee