A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

The trees are budding!

Seeing green.

What a gorgeous day here in Oz! The trees are budding, the sun is shining, and the Earth's green carpet is returning. Right now it's 73º outside. A perfect day for sunbathing and relaxing on the deck. I think Penny has had her fill of sunshine this morning...she found a shady spot to rest in.

Happy Hound in the shade.

The wind is blowing just enough to keep the river moving at a good pace and the sunlight playing on the waves is enchanting. 

The Mighty Finley.

I brought most of the houseplants out to the deck so they could get better light and fresh air. My cacti plants have at  least doubled in size since I brought them home last summer. People call this variety the "hairy old man" cactus. The more direct sunshine they get, the longer their fuzzy white hair grows. 

The hairy old men.

I also have somehow managed to keep the terrarium my friend, Rcena, gave to me from dying. I am notorious for killing succulents but somehow these little ones are hanging on. 

Top view of the terrarium.

The daffodils have bloomed too. We have a few in the front yard that a previous tenant must have planted, but what really delights me are the daffodils that have popped up on the cliff on the back side of the house. You can't get to the cliff except from the river and even then, I'm not sure how you would climb up it to plant bulbs? I suppose you could get down there from the lower deck, but that seems risky. I like to believe they are wild. 

Daffodils on the cliff.

Daffodils near the stairs leading to the dock.

I love watching the geese play in the water and feeling the sun on my skin.

I also want to include a photo from last week in this post in case you didn't catch it on my Facebook page. A beautiful double rainbow over the water at sunset. It cast the most brilliant golden hue in the sky.

Double rainbow at sunset.

April's Charms
by William Henry Davies

When April scatters charms of primrose gold
Among the copper leaves in thickets old,
And singing skylarks from the meadows rise,
To twinkle like black stars in sunny skies;

When I can hear the small woodpecker ring
Time on a tree for all the birds that sing;
And hear the pleasant cuckoo, loud and long --
The simple bird that thinks two notes a song;

When I can hear the woodland brook, that could
Not drown a babe, with all his threatening mood;
Upon these banks the violets make their home,
And let a few small strawberry vlossoms come:

When I go forth on such a pleasant day,
One breath outdoors takes all my cares away;
It goes like heavy smoke, when flames take hold
Of wood that's green and fill a grate with gold. 

~ Love & Light ~