Aggressive Spring

After an unprecedented week with temperatures in the 80s every day, flowers around our house are blooming earlier and faster than ever before. I stroll around the yard several times a day and see major new developments each time. This winter was shockingly snow-free, and I think if I had to come up with one word to describe spring so far, it's aggressive.

I'm not sure what these umbrella-like plants are, but a lot of them sprang up two days ago near the area where my Mushrooms painting took place. (Edit: Laura tells me they're may apples. Thank you!)

The person who built and lived in this house before us was a master gardener. She was apparently hog wild for daffodils, planting every variety imaginable, including these all-white ones. I took all of these photos between thunderstorms this afternoon, hoping that the muted light would help me capture details I wouldn't be able to see under direct sun. I was pleasantly surprised with results.

I also love all the droplets on the flowers' petals. Very pretty!

I've spent the past six months waiting for these parrot tulips to emerge. For the first time in my life, I planted bulbs last fall. I'm especially curious about the parrot tulips because the website I bought them from promised me that they'll eventually look like this.

Does it get any prettier? Does it bring out the old Dutch master in me? Ohhh I hope they're that pretty because I want to put them in a vase and do something like this.

No pressure, parrot tulips!

Still more daffodils. Last fall Jeff's dad tilled our front garden. It had become overrun by lemon balm and other weeds, and luckily those haven't shown up again this spring. Unfortunately, the tilling disturbed dozens of daffodil bulbs, which we picked out of the soil and I replanted. Amazing how resilient they are! The tilling also seemed to wake up some tulips I'd never seen before. Last year we had two. This year we have around twenty, including the red ones at the top of this post.

Elsewhere around the house, our red bud trees are going berserk with fluffy pinky-purpleness.

The apple trees are set to explode next week...

...along with some young dogwoods.

Jeff and I have been making daily improvements around our deck and yard. Yesterday Jeff moved the swing to a more picturesque spot next to the "mother" red bud that produced the others. I wonder how old this tree is and marvel at its uncomfortable-looking L-shape and its ability to hang in there year after year. In the background: the Salt Fork river and some wetlands.

This is what we see from our bedroom windows.

Please excuse the blurriness on the left side of the photo above; I'm guessing that's a raindrop.

We have a mirror outdoors--it hides an ugly area near the corner of the house. Thus ends my tour of the yard.

Thanks for all the get-better messages for our now-toothless cat Hypatia, seen here with a doting Jeff. Well, thanks to my mom and the two of you who tweeted at me. She's doing a lot better and is back to being her goofy, gorgeous self. Incredibly, she's eating dry food! And now, so the other kitties don't feel left out...

...it's the dashing and handsome Quixote, who always knows exactly where and how to pose for optimal glamour...

...and it's my newest painting starring young Bun titled Studio Assistant. I hope to have it finished this weekend, just in time for my Jacksonville show. I'm becoming increasingly nervous about it and find myself sitting in hazy lighting situations and staring into space.

Happy aggressive spring, everybody, and here's hoping it doesn't turn passive-aggressive. Because I don't know what that would even look like.

Comments

[GinaE]

Such great photos Kelly! I got behind on reading and just read your post on Hypatia. Glad to hear she is doing better. Animals always have a way of surprising me with how well they cope with something major like this. I turn in to a mess as their pet Mom, but they seem to deal with it. I think one of my dogs is facing the same situation. I will keep thinking and sending Hypatia good thoughts. I'm so jealous of all your lovely flowers! It gets too hot where I live, so I've given up trying for a garden. I LOVE the Bun/Assistant painting and can't wait to see if finished.

[student]

the daffodils are just gorgeous...lovely photography

[Kirsten]

Just so you know, I will be all over a Kelly Eddington-style Dutch Master tulip painting...