turning a new page or "the doors of possibility"

For those of you who have been following my raggle taggle adventures in the land of creativity, you know I've been struggling of late, but seem to have crossed a threshold the other day. Well, upon my trepidatious posting of my latest efforts on the private Facebook page for the Mermaid Circus online class I've been taking, I received so many loving comments that I felt flushed with the excitement of so much support.

The very next morning I launched into the rendering of my fairy into a mermaid, and lo and behold a kind of Bill Murray appeared behind her for support. I just, as they say, went with the flow!

 

Yesterday was a fabulously sunny day.

 We've been bringing our seedlings in at night because it has been too cold for their little bodies, and though still a bit nippy in the morning, it was warm in the sun, out of the wind.

 

The afternoon brought long beautiful shadows from one of our English Walnut trees.

You can see our 'cross-the-road neighbour hung a Canadian flag on his property in honour of

 Queen Victoria's birthday (May 24) but it is our holiday today.

 

Can you see how the leaves are growing at the end of the branches of the walnut tree?

I think they look like little origami birds the way they grow straight up

 

Wally finally cut the grass which was getting awfully high, but kindly left me forget-me-nots growing all over the lawn like vaseless posies.

our first and last, our only tulips have finally bloomed, sheltered in a shady corner of the garden, coming up in what look to be a bed of irises, or lilies.  We'll see.

a progress shot of the rhubarb flower, getting quite stalky

Earlier that morning, I noticed my neighbour was having a yard sale and I ran over to have first dibs

Turned out she was set up all day the day before and I'd never noticed.  Just as well.

 I certainly don't need more stuff.  I'm always amazed, however,  by the intricacy of a hand-crocheted doily and bought this one for 25 cents.

 

I loved the way the afternoon sun backlit it.

and finally the mercouple that emerged in my sketchbook just prior to unconsciously turning him into Bill Murray the actor/comedian whose work I so enjoy.

 

Keeping spring in our hearts