A Little Sunshine

I am sending a little sunshine your way this week.

Here are some pictures of a bouquet of daffodils my husband bought for me from the weekend farmers market. First of the season and so bright and cheerful I thought I would share them with you.

 



 

It is still about a month to the equinox and it has been dark and rainy recently, too little daylight, too little sun!

 



 

Daffodils are members of the Narcissus family or genus.

 

"Narcissus is a genus of predominantly spring perennial plants in the Amaryllidaceae (amaryllis) family. Various common names including daffodil, daffadowndilly, narcissus, and jonquil are used to describe all or some members of the genus." Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

 

  

In Greek mythology, Narcissus was a hunter  who was renowned for his beauty. He was the son of a river god named Cephissus and a nymph named Liriope.

 

He fell in love with his own reflection in a pool, and pinning away and was changed into the flower that bears his name.
 

Yellow is one of the primary colours and can symbolise joy and delight as well as the sun and summer.

 



 

Spring is a great season to celebrate new beginnings.

 

 

Trolling the internet for music for spring a found the following article:

  

The "10 Top Songs for Spring" by Bill Lamb is his list of

pop songs. "These are the songs that bring to mind for me the hope, joy, beauty, and carefree spirit of springtime."  (http://top40.about.com/od/top10lists/tp/springpopsongs.htm)

 

1.  Lovin' Spoonful - "Daydream" (1966) (link below)

 

2.  Simon and Garfunkel - "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" (1966)

 

3.  Hugh Masakela - "Grazing in the Grass" (1968)

 

4.  U2 - "Beautiful Day" (2000)

 

5.  Andy Grammer - "Keep Your Head Up" (2011)

 

6.  Cat Stevens - "Morning Has Broken" (1972)

 

7.  Dario G - "Sunchyme" (1998)

 

8.  Patti LaBelle - "New Attitude" (1985)

 

9.  Smash Mouth - "All Star" (1999)

 

10.  Jason Mraz - "I'm Yours" (2008)

 

 

I hope you enjoy following the links.

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

As promised here is "Daydream" and the Lovin Spoonful:

 

 

 

 

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Here are a couple of paintings that I have finished recently:

 

 

The first is called "Lilies 2" and is a watercolour:

 

 

 

Here is the second, "A Rest in the Shade", it is a painting of an old car I photographed when I was in France last fall. It is a watercolour too.

 I think it is a very old Citroen but I am not sure, does anyone recognise it?

 



Thanks for dropping by, I appreciate you feedback.

 

 

That's all for this week,  

happy Wednesday, with whimsy,

 

Gillian. 

 



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.