Sunshine makes me happy

What a difference a couple of weeks make.! We had our last dump of snow on the 24th of April....just in time for Grandma D to experience it before she left Regina. :(  It didn't last more than a day or so, thank goodness.

This weekend, the temperatures reached 30C (84F) on both Friday and Saturday.  Today is a bit cooler, but absolutely lovely at 77C (72F).  We're expecting some rain this evening and possibly the first thunderstorm of the spring.  

Last weekend I took my camera and walked through the park.  Signs of spring were everywhere. 

I probably saw at least a dozen bunnies.  I wonder how many more there will be in the next few weeks?

There are geese and ducks everywhere as well.  The mallard and his mate were down at the creek.

They seem to nest there in the spring, and I expect there will be little ducklings splashing about in due time.

It's a thrill to see the birds and bunnies, but more exciting to see are the leaves beginning to bud out on the trees. 

Spring has definitely sprung! 

This weekend, I enjoyed the company of my grandson on Friday and Saturday (my daughter and her b/f too).  D and Eli visited after his two month check-up at the doctor on Friday.

We were going to try to take his photo with the turtle blanket, but he was fussy from his shots on Thursday and wasn't having it, since he had to be on his tummy.

He was quite happy though to play on his mat and look at the sun-shaped light, wave his arms and kick his legs.

He weighed in at 13 lbs. 5 oz. and measures 22 inches in length.  According to the public heath nurse, that puts him at the 85th percentile for weight and 20th percentile for height.  In other words, he is short and fat....just like his G'ma Eileen.  I'm sure he'll grow out of it. :)

All that playing tuckered him out, so that after a bottle he was fast asleep in his mother's arms.  

She passed him over to me and I held for nearly a half-hour.  Is there anything sweeter and more innocent than a sleeping baby?

I dropped by their house on Saturday to drop off a hanging plant for D.  We walked around to the back of the house where J described for me all the work he plans to do.  They've got a couple of raised beds to work with and he wants to put in a proper patio.  It's a bit of shambles now, but it definitely has potential.  He's built a shed in the back for storage, but it still needs a door before they can put anything away.  Some friends gave him a load of bricks that he plans to build a fire pit with.  For now they're using a cut-down 45 gallon drum.  

They invited me for dinner, but I suggested they come over to my house as I have a bbq.  We enjoyed our dinner out on the deck as the sun room blocks the sun from the west and with the breeze it was perfect.  Little Eli cooed and talked to us throughout dinner from his car seat. 

He's just a happy little boy! I often sing to him, "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine".  He truly is.  He makes me smile whenever he's around.  I've been seeing him about once a week and I am amazed every time how much he's grown and changed.  His personality is definitely developing.  So far, he's pretty easy going and chill about most everything that goes on around him.  I wonder if that will change when he hits the terrible 2's. 

*****

Today I went shopping for plants. I'd picked up some sun patience on Saturday, as they were on sale at Lowes.  I thought I would wait until next weekend before buying anything more but the bug had bit.  I headed back down to Lowes, then over to Canadian Tire, Rona, and Peavey Mart.  I found everything I wanted (and then some I suspect) with the exception of nicotiania.  I like to plant it in the front flower bed as it will tolerate shade and provides a lovely smell especially in the evening.  

The planters in the back will be transferred to the big containers in the front yard.  I'm lazy and it adds instant height and color to the front.  I'm thinking I'll put the striped petunias in the shorter container out front as well.  

Then there are 9 other containers that I'll fill with geraniums and the sun patience...though I may have bought more than I ought to have (oops).  The impatiences will be planted in the silver container and out back in the small bed in the back yard.  The snapdragons will go into a container as well.  And then the rest will fill in the various containers.  At least that's the plan at this particular moment....we'll see what happens when I plan to the long weekend of May.

So for the next two weeks I'll be moving the plants in and out of the garage. Thankfully I have the little baskets my daughter used when teaching.  They are perfect for managing the plants as I can water them and they are lightweight. While the forecast is for a little rain and a lot of sunshine, I won't plant until I'm sure we're past the risk of frost.  

My thoughts go out to those who are not experiencing the sunshine and warm temperatures these days, but are facing the flooding in various parts of Canada.  With any luck this weather will reach there soon and the reparation can begin.

Have a great week everyone!