LEM Photo Challenge: Spring

Spring is starting to bloom in our yard. Yesterday when Hubby went to the mailbox at the end of our long driveway he came back with a handful of daffodils. I told him I hoped he hadn't picked them all and he said we have LOTS more to bloom.
Since I shot them against a white background with not much natural light left in the gloomy day I decided to pop it up a notch by adding a texture and then erased the texture from just the center daffodil. This one is my entry for the challenge this week with the prompt of spring.

I've included this photo for the purist of you photographers out there who enjoy the original image.

For more Spring pics join Tara at Live Every Moment.

Weekend Reflections: By The Creekside

These are some shots I took in early spring and forgot about. What I like most about this reflection shot is the way the tree limbs seemlessly go from shadows at the creekside to reflections in the water.

Downstream a pair of geese were no doubt setting up housekeeping. Well, after all it was spring! If you enlarge this one or look very closely you can see their reflection in the water as well.

Looking upstream! Doesn't that look serene?

For more Weekend Reflections join James here.

The Robin Tells of Spring

What the Robin Told

The wind told the grasses
And the grasses told the trees.
The trees told the bushes,
And the bushes told the bees.
The bees told the robin,
And the robin sang out clear:
Wake up! Wake up! Spring is here!
~ author unknown

And so, it's time to:

Throw off the winter jackets

Toss the woolly mittens

Store the winter boots

Pull on the shorts and T-shirts

Slip into Crocs and Birkenstocks and tennies

Don the Ray Bans and baseball caps

Turn off the TV

Go fly a kite

Lay on your back and watch the clouds silently floating by.

Ok, O-K, I know it's only the FIRST day of Spring but it could happen, will happen somewhere.

It will happen here even if I have to sit in front of the fireplace in warm toasty socks with a sweater around my shoulders and my eyes closed and head thrown back against the couch and I have to daydream and PRETEND - it WILL happen TODAY!

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!!!

Singing Out the News

What the Robin Told

The wind told the grasses

And the grasses told the trees.

The trees told the bushes,

And the bushes told the bees.

The bees told the robin,

And the robin sang out clear:

Wake up! Wake up! Spring is here!

~ author unknown

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"

~Robin Williams

More Glimpses Around the Yard

Yesterday I spotted a cardinal in my backyard. I think there is a nest in my wisteria vines; so I'm keeping my distance so as not to disturb him and his mate. By the way, did you know the cardinal was named by early American settlers after the Catholic Cardinals who wear bright robes of red?

The sun tried so hard to shine; but rarely

peeked through the gray clouds.

This pic is an I SPY for you. Can you find the fellow from my post a few days ago? At least he looks like the same little woodpecker who had so much trouble hanging on in the snow. On this day he wasn't having as much trouble finding his

lunch!

More blooms! The crocus seem to be having a hard time popping up with all that tangled mess in my flower beds.

Having moved in the summer I hadn't seen the spring blossoms.

What a lovely surprise on a dreary day!

The birds are out, the rain is sprinkling, and the blooms are emerging from the earth ~ it might as well be Spring!!!

A Glimpse of What's to Be

I love how the tops of the acorns are lying in the midst of the iris' pushing through.

I love the green against the brick.

Spring broccoli it ain't!!!

I hope the tender lilac buds survive the passing deer. This would be a tempting dessert for them!!

To be continued.......