Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Ode to Spring...

Our household is slowly returning to normal. When my husband left this morning he said he was going to dad's apartment after work and I realized that I wouldn't be hearing that sentence anymore after hearing it almost daily for the last two years. Once Wendell's apartment is cleared out, those kinds of chores will cease, and just the memories will remain.

It was a lovely morning this morning. When the weather turns nice, I usually go "walkabout" first thing with a cup of coffee. Nothing breaks ground that I don't see. The snowdrops have come and gone, their tiny nodding heads are sleeping for another year. This year there wasn't any snow for them to break through. The yellow tulips are in full bloom. My first yellow tulips were a gift from Holland brought back in a briefcase by one of my engineers. John Winkler, if you're reading this, I'm thinking about you as I always do when the yellow tulips bloom. The crab apple tree outside the craft room is just starting to bloom. There are lots of pale pink flowers next to the raspberry colored buds. There will be a heavy crop of crab apples for the birds this year. The peonies are up about a foot, the lilacs will be blooming by the end of the week. The fish are feeding so the water temperature is over 50 degrees. There are a dozen toads in the skimmer - all looking for love. They were singing last night in 12 part harmony. Is spring always so noisy? This morning we awakened to a cacophony of birds and the residue of the toads, but the breeze was sweet. I’m a morning person; I love to watch the sun come over the horizon and hear the world wake up. There is one speckled egg in the titmouse house. I will check this afternoon to see if she laid it this morning or yesterday. She can lay from five to eight eggs before she starts to incubate. Fourteen days to hatching, eighteen days to fledging and they can do that twice a year. On a discouraging note, the bluebirds have not been seen since last week. The nest box on the fence is still empty although a pair of titmice has checked it out. The chickadees are looking at the house on the arbor and the wren has been in the wren house on the other end of the fence. I’m afraid I won’t have bluebirds during the first nesting, but we can hope they will return later in the season.





Paper: Debbie Mumm Noah's Ark; Stamps: Magnolia Sitting Fall Tilda, Magnolia Flowers, Papertrey; Spica: Clear; Martha Stewart Butterfly Punches; Spellbinder Dies; Stickles: Yellow; Copics: E11, E00E000, B91, B93, B95, Y11, Y04, Y35, YR16, E31, E33, E29, E25, BV01, BV04, E53, G24, B32, Y18, Y08, YG23, YG25. Background on the diecuts was airbrushed with B32, B91 and G24. Butterflies were airbrushed with Y11 and B91.

One more note: I was Copic certified on Sunday, so whoohoo; which is not to be confused with yeehaw or Amen. Kudos to Sally Lynn MacDonald for a wonderful, informative class with some giggles thrown in for good measure.

12 comments:

  1. Love the card. It does remind you of spring. Great Job. Thanks for sharing.
    Have a GREAT DAY!!!
    Bob L.
    www.happycardmaker.blogspot.com

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  2. OMG, I love all the dimensions of your Tilda! Sweetly colored. Very nice, thanks so much for sharing!
    Blessings!
    Leslie Avila

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  3. Congrats C2~ Lovely coloring!!!!!!!!! I am so glad you are keeping the spirit up! Cheers to the blue birds!
    Much luv!

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  4. Lovely card!! I really like the colors you chose for Tilda.

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  5. Oh, I really enjoyed reading about how spring has arrived in your neck of the woods. Sounds like your're surrounded with so much beauty. You Tilda in the Daffodils is darling. How beautifully you have colored her and it looks like she's sitting on a cloud! Wonderful job...
    hugs,
    Barb

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  6. This is a gorgeous card. How did you get the color variations on the butterflies?
    Aletha

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  7. BEAUTIFUL card Cindy
    Great job! Love the
    Butterflies....
    Hugs
    Cindy E

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  8. Super job Cindy. your copic classes have paid dividends. great job. I loved your story about your place. It sounds so lovely.
    hugs marion

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  9. Absolutely gorgeous!!!! I love the Butterflies and can't wait to get an air gun.

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  10. First of all let me start off by letting me tell you that you told a most poignant story. I was sorry when it ended. You made a sad beginning turn into a happy ending... Your card is also happy and springy. though Tilda is alone and seems to be deep in thought she is painted beautifully with butterlies and sitting on the tulips. Great job..
    Hugs, Jean

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  11. Wow! So cute!! A Beautiful Card.

    Nadine

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  12. Totally cute & delightful card Cindy!
    Hugs,
    Cabio

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