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.

 

 

 

 

 



 

Bark, bark, bark?

Barking up the wrong tree?

This expression undoubtedly comes from watching hunting dogs barking at the base of a tree that they mistakenly think hides their prey. Happily the wily prey has left the tree and escaped in another direction.

It is generally used to mean one is making a mistake or misdirecting one's energies or attention.

The squirrel above is using a different tactic though: that if one stays absolutely still one becomes invisible. It was handy for me because it allowed me to get a good picture.

Bark has many meanings:

It is the sound uttered by a dog, but also a sound such as harsh cough or an abrupt, impatient or angry exclamation. Bark, from old English word beorcan and middle English word Berken, has probably given rise to the expression "His/her bark is worse than his/her bite".

Bark, or barque, (from the Middle English word barke, or Old French word barque for boat) is also a sailing ship with from three to five square rigged masts or a small vessel propelled by oars or sails.

But it is also the tough protective coating on the trunks, branches and roots of trees and other woody plants; the outer bark is mainly dead tissue that protects the tree from heat, cold, insects, and other dangers but also allows the tree to breathe.  This bark is a middle English word from Old Norse word borke.

It is the bark of trees that I am focusing on today, it is not only protective but also offers a wide variety of colours, shapes and textures.

We didn't have a lot of snow this winter (is it too soon to brag about that?) but here I caught a little on a tree in the park.

The spreading arms of a tree on a cool January day.

Bark of a Horse chestnut tree, curling and peeling.

I loved the shapes of this bark and the interesting shadows created by the sunshine.

A beautiful silvery colour, and delicate layers here:

Pine tree with its thick bark and, below, a pinecone (slightly off topic).

This is the puzzle-like bark of a Willow Tree. I see a face in the second one.

The flaky red bark of the Arbutus tree (the tree in front) and another tree "face".

Extracts of bark have been used for traditional medicines and tonics, tanning leather and dyeing fabrics. The strong fibres known as bast can be used for making rope and thin layers of Birch Bark are used for the iconic Canadian Birch bark canoe as well as for shelters. Commercial products such as cork, cinnamon, quinine and aspirin are all bark or made from bark.

This week I started with an old adage about barking up a tree and a picture of a squirrel and will leave you with another of each: 

"Don't keep a dog and bark yourself."

Meaning don't pay someone to do a job and then do it yourself, or interfere to the extent that they can't do the job.

I have been slowly making progress on a painting of poppies; you may recall that I "poured" the background colour. It is quite large, 14" X 21", and is a watercolour. Below is a picture after the "pour" is dry and the masking fluid is removed and then three pictures showing details of parts of it, I hope to have it finished by next week.

I have finished another  watercolour of crocuses too, and am happy with this one:

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog, and Happy Whimsy Wednesday, until next time ......