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.