It's a Beginning

Crocuses are always such a welcome sight in early spring.  I particularly like these Pickwick ones with their distinctive stripes.

 The snow crocuses are a little earlier and smaller than the regular crocuses.  Usually they are solid purple, deep yellow, or white.

 This little scilla got some extra heat from the terra cotta planter behind it so it is ahead of the other ones in the garden.  Scillas happily self-sow around brightening up new spots every year.

 I recently read that the cup shape of crocuses focuses the sun's heat making it easier for the pollinating insects to stay warm.   A couple of ant-like insects are sampling the crocus today.

 Yellow snow crocuses with attractive dark stripes on the outside of the petals.

Rescued

 

   
                                                              Love
                                                           Rescued
                                                                Me

Spring Has Arrived

 What a difference a week makes!  Most of the ground is bare now and today is about 20C.  The snowdrops have opened up and a few honeybees came for some nectar.  I also saw a fly but I guess I don't need to feature it in a picture. Lots of birds singing and geese flying overhead.

 Ornamental onions are attractive when they first sprout with their maroon collars and tips.  The hardy cyclamen always looks fresh and strong in the early spring.  In the heat of summer, it will die back and then re-sprout in the fall.

 The chipmunks are such attractive little fellows (and misses). This one is cleaning up the mess the squirrels made under the bird feeder.  The squirrels figured out how to get into the metal garbage can I was storing the seed in .

Beautiful markings.

The Generous Colour

The Generous Colour

Enigmatic in its simplicity,
A colour with no colour,
White,
The blank piece of paper,
Invites expression.

All rays reflect outward
 From
The ultimate generous colour.

Morning Ice

 The days are warm but it was still below freezing last night.  The refrozen ice often makes interesting patterns.

 Lots of trapped air in this piece.

  Water running underneath adds lines and bubbles.

 Like a spider's web around the stems.

 A crystalline star.

 An icy doily.

Reflected mountains?

AMAZING Snowdrops !

 I have been wondering about my little patch of snowdrops.  A couple of weeks ago I tried to dig down to them, but hit ice near the ground.  Since then the weather has been coldish with a bit of snow and not much melting going on.  Yesterday, it began to warm up and today it is around 10C so the snow is getting very loose and crystalline.  Time to check on the snowdrops.  They were still covered with a few inches of snow but when I cleared that away, there they were all green and in bud.

 A view into the bottom of the hole where the snowdrops are growing.  OK, they were able to grow under a couple of inches of snow, but what about the rest of the patch that's still covered in 14" of snow?  (Yes, I know it's spring, but this is Canada). Off I went to get a little shovel to investigate.

 Can you believe it?  A perfect little bunch of snowdrops under all that snow!

Sweet, sweet snowdrops.

Trees- Light and Shadow

 Some light designs I enjoyed this morning.

 Spring is here!  Hope your day is shining.

Hummingbird Alert

No, I don't have any hummingbirds here, but I have found a great website with lots of video of a hummingbird family on Vancouver Island.  The live-cam is at YouTube:HummingbirdLiveCam and the website with lots of other videos and information is Hummingbirdsupclose.com. 
Hope you enjoy watching these fascinating little birds.