Leaving the studio late tonight after a very productive evening. And as I was walking away I was struck by the leafy patterns shadowed on the sidewalk. You don’t always get to see great shadows like these when it’s dark outside!!!

I’m kinda excited… I’m trying to grow dahlias this summer for the first time. I started them indoors and these little nuggets popped up this morning!!! Just in time for NATIONAL GARDENING DAY!!!

Beautiful sunshine streaming through splashing some bright light & dramatic shadows on the colorful Spring flowers.

Morning magnolia moments.
So graceful, structural & fragrant.
Too bad they’re so fragile & short-lived.

Sunny little daffodils blooming to greet the day!

Pretty Periwinkle flowers blooming & crawling across the vinca vines in the garden. Such a nice groundcover with glossy green leaves. They always reminds me of my Aunt Marilyn’s house in St. Charles that had a wonderfully thick patch of vinca vines by the front door!

One of my very favorite Spring flowers. These tiny little gems seem to have taken over many yards around the neighborhood… sadly, except mine!!! I would love to have more of these scilla plants to make a blue-purple carpet in my garden… but I think I have three!!!… only THREE!

And I have no idea how they got there… but I think I can thank the squirrels!

Doing a little work in the front yard garden beds cleaning out the dead leaves & garbage strewn about… and found another little crocus popping up! This might be the last one… hiding in a little corner of the yard!

Another beautiful Spring day perfect for another bike ride! Not a cloud in the sky as I pedaled north… past Northwestern University, the Gross Point Lighthouse, the Baha’i Temple, the huge houses in the fancy suburbs, Openlands Lakeshore Preserve, Fort Sheridan and finally turned around at the Great Lakes Naval Base. Blue skies & spring flowers the entire way… and a gentle headwind on the way back!

And then THIS happened!!!

This little cutie was a brave soldier and came over to say hello! He just sauntered over while the other deer stayed a good “social-distance” away. This guy didn’t care… he just wanted a little human interaction… much like the rest of us these days!