Backyard Interlude & More

I have another tag ready to show you, but today, a brief intermission from our little forest garden out back.
A couple of days ago, it rained and rained all afternoon and stopped just in time for me to get a few pictures in the evening light.
I love how things look after a good soaking - the wood is so dark, the greens lush and the colors have a special vibrancy.
The oak leaf hydrangea freshly washed,
and then again yesterday in the shunshine.
Everything seemed happy, especially all of our different kinds of ferns.



Just look at this window box Daniel planted last weekend. It's already filled out. That's what warmth and humidity will do - I wilt, but the plants love it!

And since we are on the subject of nature, I wanted to show you a few pictures our good friend, Raina, sent us of some of some of the 400 flowering cherry trees in Amsterdam donated to the city in 2000 by the Japan Women's Club.

Raina and I met some 21 years ago when we sat next to each other in a statistics class in San Jose, California. She, Daniel and I have been fast friends ever since.

Thank you for this treat, Raina!!

Last, but definitely not least, head on over to the very talented and generous Theresa of Faerie Moon Creations, who has graciously featured a fellow artisan and myself. While you are there, be certain to check out Theresa's Etsy store - she and her husband design the jewelry they sell. You'll find that it's both whimsical and romantic, like this pretty necklace:

Tomorrow, I'll show you my latest art tag. And maybe another little painting that was giving me such trouble yesterday that I gessoed over it and will start from scratch. We'll see how it goes...

But for now, I wish you a most excellent Thursday!