Q: What do you call four male goldfinches on a line?
(continue reading for the answer)

The vegetable garden is in! I planted Eggplant, cucumber, green peppers, beefsteak tomatoes, bush beans and broccoli. I can’t wait to watch as it grows and starts producing veggies!! I just loved cutting fresh broccoli last summer and steaming it – there is nothing better, no store bought broccoli compares!

We were lucky, I guess, in that I really didn’t have to deal with many bugs at all in my garden. This may have been because I use Cutter backyard spray on our grass to keep the bugs at a minimum – the spray lasts about 4 weeks, so we can enjoy our yard without being bitten or pestered (much)!

I’ve also been enjoying so many blooms in my yard! I’m loving it. All of the hard work over the last few years has paid off, now when I go to the garden center – I buy one or two annuals and that’s all I really need. Everything is filling in and looking really beautiful.

Now, my work entails splitting and spreading and, to my neighbors delight, sharing. I love sharing my garden!! I split some phlox, iris and dayliles for my neighbor last week, and gave my small lilac to another neighbor. I remember sending a bundle of iris to my dear friend Erikie a few years ago! There’s nothing better than reblooming love.

Here are few of my favorite shots from the last week or so:

As promised, a macro of my Sensation Lilac, aren’t those blooms pretty?!
My nose wants to dive right in!

Dramatic lighting on this tulip that I had inside. Love it. Painting it.

Pink Creeping Phlox (This portion of my phlox lives across the street now!)

Peek a boo!

A mourning dove checks me out while I check him out.

A fuchsia planter, love this these delicate little blooms!

One of a lovely cluster of daffodils.

I have so many more flowers in bloom – and my irises are just about ready, too! I can’t wait to get a few great shots of my batik irises this year to paint, I would love to create a set of four macro batik iris paintings.

Meanwhile, I’m working on design related stuff – so I don’t have new paintings to share. I move from one skill set to another, trying to keep those projects clumped together. It makes life more enjoyable!

The girls have less than 2 weeks left of school this year, so we have an adjustment period coming up where I’m sure I’ll hear “I’m bored!” at least a dozen times a day. We’ll get into a groove just in time for school to start back up again, right?

I also have been having some sinus issues – I’ve had a sinus infection since mid February. I had a CT scan this morning and will take my results to an ENT specialist on Monday to find out what kind of treatment I need to cure this. I am not getting near as much pollen up in my nose as I need to feel joyful and jubilant! (And no doctor on this planet is going to tell me that the pollen is causing my problems – not happening!)

Other news… hmm… oh, yes, my weekly portrait giveaway. Enter, would you? That would be great. I know there are more of you out there who would love a free portrait, and the subject is open (people pets or animals) so what are you waiting for, Christmas?

Q: What do you call four male goldfinches on a line?
A: Photoshopped!!!

Don’t forget to enter to win a custom portrait in my weekly giveaway!