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.