More Spring . . .

Usually, I'm happy to get to the weekend, but approaching this one means Reading Break is almost over, and Monday morning brings the return of regular programming. Two meetings (one a doozy at four hours!) on separate days to maximize inconvenient coming-and-going sucked up time as did an appointment with the dental hygienist. My usual trips into town for Pilates on Tuesday/Thursday afternoons. An enjoyable visit with my hairdresser this afternoon -- between professional and personal commitments, there was less time for the teaching prep and reading ahead I'd hoped to do, even less after the hours and hours of marking (accompanied by the usual flare-up of forearm, elbow, and shoulder pain).

But if that sounds like grumbling (and, okay, maybe it is, just a little), I'm here to acknowledge that the week's been a welcome respite and to focus on the positive. More garden photos seem to me a good way to do that -- my dad spent his last two years with prostate cancer (overall, he had it for twenty years, although after the initial aggressive surgery, it was in remission for twelve) at a frail 125 pounds or less, the last year close to 100 (healthy, he'd rarely been under 200), yet he never failed, when I visited him, to point out something beautiful in the world. It's a practice I try to keep in his honour.

And at this time of year, it's not hard to do so -- the sharp green and tartly outlined shape of the new astrantia leaves against the dark soil in the very top photo, the lively play between the blue scilla flowers and their green leaves just above, the daffodils working their way through the hellebore foetidus.

Below are iris shoots -- I really need to divide this clump one of these years, but I probably won't get to it this spring. . .

But it's not just growing things that cheer me. The way the sun stripes the garden structures amuses (although it's now just a distant photo-memory, obscured by more rain, more grey . . .)

and I'm happy to see how it draws the fish to the surface for some Vitamin D therapy.

Even winter's leftovers -- bare branches dotted with snowberries -- look festive in the sunshine

sculptural whimsy looks even jauntier than usual . . .Pater Blackberried me yesterday afternoon from a plane where he waited to hear if they'd be taking off or whether a snowstorm was going to keep them in Ottawa. He did get in to Vancouver finally, hitting his bed about 1 a.m. (4 Ottawa time!), but his message reminded me how fortunate we are with our weather here. The winter's been milder than usual -- it feels almost time to pack away the sweaters and coats, and I've noticed that the warmer items have barely been worn this year -- and now we'll be moving into lighter gear, although still carrying our umbrellas and keeping the boots handy.

In fact, as I change my wardrobe to adjust to the season, I'm thinking I might just take the challenge laid down at The Small Fabric of My Life and I've put together a capsule wardrobe of transitional navy to get me through the first week of March. That way, I can follow Une Femme's and Privilege's example (both recently posted on the role of navy in their life/wardrobe) at the same time -- two birds, one stone, and all that. So watch this space. . .

Meanwhile, I hope your weekend fulfils some of the promise captured in this shiny new leaf . . .