Wednesday 25 February 2015

Spring blooms already

It has been very mild here recently and spring blooms are appearing earlier than usual.

We set a record of sorts on the weekend when we cut our lawn for the first time (February!) this year; that seems to be about a month early.

Feast your eyes of these early cherry blossoms:

 

 
 
Not just a blossom here and there, but entire trees and rows of trees. 
 

 



 


 
Crocuses and Snow Drops are also blooming in abundance:



 
 
 
Forsythia is welcome for it's colour and fragrance.
 
 

 
 Hellebores in many colours: 
 



 
A few daffodils are blooming and still more are ready to burst into flower.
 
 
 
I love the "furry" buds of the magnolia:

 


 
One of my Camellia bushes is in bloom too.
 
 
 
Oregon Grape bushes are ready to bloom:

 
I can't remember what this one is called:
 
 
A robin taking advantage of early mild weather:
 


 
 Of course the weeds are growing well too!  There is a bee in the bottom left of the first picture.
 
 
 
I don't know the name of the plant above, I like it, but it is a pest when it gets in a lawn.
Below, well you know.
 
 
 
I hope Spring is here, can all these plants and the birds and bees be wrong?
I hope not, but I am not holding my breath.
 
The squirrel below had found a treat and settled safely behind some branches, not sure he realized I could see him quite well still.
 
This one was in the park; we are not happy with squirrels at our house since one or two of them chewed the lights off several strings of our Christmas lights! Seriously.
 
  
 
I have a couple of new paintings for you too.
I have been trying something new, painting watercolour on stretched paper and then varnishing it so that it does not need to be placed under glass.
 
The first is "White Hellebore":
 
 
 
The second "Early Clematis", below, is already in a frame:
 
 

 
Both paintings are watercolours, what do you think?
 
I also finished a painting of Gastown for the Vancouver section of my PS Whimsy website. It is ink and watercolour:
  

 
 Thanks for stopping by,
 
happy Whimsy Wednesday,
 
Until next week,
 
Gillian.
 

 
 
 
 


 

16 comments:

  1. you have early spring and ours is very late! i've only mowed parts of the lawn twice (once in jan, once in feb.) our wildflowers and pear tree blossoms were covered in snow and sleet early this week and today now several inches of fluffy snow. ah, well. your blooms are beautiful and love your paintings of them, too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I know it seems early already over here as well. The sign of the Robin is that warmer temps are on their way:) Gorgeous blooms!

    ReplyDelete
  3. The flowers of spring, blooming, and a bit too early. Your paintings are remarkable, love them.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes, isn't it an early spring ~ 6 weeks early according to a landscaper! Hopefully Old Man Winter isn't planning a return trip in March. Your photos are beautiful and indicate that you are slightly ahead of us... crocuses are out, but daffodils still just buds. I think your flowering bush is a type of Viburnum and your little purple flowers are violets. They can take over the lawn ~ I keep plucking mine and sticking them in a hanging basket! Love the detail in your paintings ~ quite taken with the Hellebore, as I have some in my front window box that look just like your painting. Also lovely to revisit the refurbished steam clock in Gastown...thanks for the sunny post :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think it's amazing that spring has arrived there already. We north of Toronto are still in the depths of winter!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow, lovely images of spring blooms. Everything is blooming here on the island as well. There was a mention somewhere that the blueberries are blooming already which I hope we don't get frost or snow which will ruin it possibly on the crops of blueberries this year. Love your artwork!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I especially like the White Hellebore, Gill.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yep, Here in California there are lots of tree's blooming. I really don't know if that is normal for this time of year, but it sure is pretty.

    Hugs, Linda
    My Happy Place

    ReplyDelete
  9. WOW, lovely blossoms and flowers.. Lucky you, to have an early spring.. We are having more snow today and the ground is already covered.. Your photos and artwork are beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  10. omgoodness, the blooms are so beautiful and make me long for spring!! your artwork is lovely as well, you have real talent!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Gillian, we have been enjoying the blossoms here in Yaletown, but I must say you seem to have some especially lovely ones in your neck of the woods :) Wonderful watercolours.. love them, and love the painting of Gastown as well. Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  12. It was nice to hear from you, Gillian. What a fantastic flowering late February! You must feel liberated and comfortable. I think it’s quite unusual to your region. The robin is so cute and your paintings are so lovely. In my part of the world, the buds of magnolia are still tight and no dandelions but I see other flowers in the post. Have a nice weekend.

    Yoko

    ReplyDelete
  13. It certainly seems like spring so I hope we do not have any late winter surprises! I like the Gastown painting’s perspective of the clock and building. I think prints of these would do really well in the shops there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great idea, I am so bad at markrting end of things.

      Delete
  14. Wow, wonderful shots of the beautiful early spring flowers and I always like your artwork.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm envious of your beautiful spring. We're still under a ton of snow and our lake is frozen solid.. and will remain that way until at least April. Still, I'm happy to enjoy the beautiful flowers through your eyes. And yes, if you've already cut the grass, it must be spring. That would be summer, here. Wonderful artwork, as always. You are such a talent.

    ReplyDelete