Tend

Day 152/366
A weekend filled with beautiful weather meant lots of time outside. We tended to many things including putting up the pool, planting the tomato and pepper plants, and watering the garden. So thankful for the sunshine on our faces and the ability to be outside, soaking it all in.

Chive Blossoms

Day 151/366
Did you know that chive blossom vinegar is a thing? As I was thinking about the title for this photo, I did a quick search on chive blossoms, and there were a bunch of different recipes and blog posts dedicated to it. Our chives are in full bloom, so maybe I'll give it a try.

Busy Afternoon

Day 150/366
Today was the first time we've been to see friends in three months. We visited and played outside, and it was such a treat to go somewhere and be social (while also being socially distant). We are not used to such a busy day! After we got home, we were all kind of tired and needed a little downtime to recoup after our interactive afternoon.

Rose Petals

Day 149/366
The rain kept us inside all day so I played around with some more indoor macro photography. This rose was part of a bouquet of birthday flowers for Davin and it was so pretty! I wasn't very happy with the picture at first - it just didn't look the way that I had envisioned it. After some cropping and editing, though, I'm pleased like the final outcome.

Fields of Grass

Day 148/366
I've been having some fun playing around with a few of my Lensbaby lenses. This was taken with the Twist 60. I found that I can manipulate the sun flare depending on where I allow the light to leak into the frame. I love the rainbow halo around the grass. This image makes me think of lazy summer evenings filled with sunshine and good memories.

Lilac Bouquet

Day 147/366
I decided to decorate the table with a beautiful bouquet of lilacs.

Down By the River

Day 146/366
Today felt like a hot, humid summer day. After working in the yard we decided to cool off by wading in the Mount Vernon Creek. It wasn't very deep, but the water was refreshing.

Family

Day 145/366
Oh, this was a good day. Carrie suggested a socially distant visit to see Mom and Dad and we happily agreed. We hadn't been together since the beginning of February, and it felt so good to see everyone. This was our attempt at a socially distant portrait. :) When we got home, I asked the kids if they enjoyed the trip and they both agreed it was highlight of the last four months.

Lily of the Valley

Day 144/366
I take pictures of these little beauties every year and it never gets old. They are so lovely and their fragrance is heavenly.

Wee Sprouts

Day 143/366
It's so fun to see the seeds that she planted begin to sprout. I love how they are so little, yet so determined... reaching for the light and striving to grow.

Delicate Beauty

Day 142/366
The unfurling of the fern leaves always make me stop and wonder at their intricate beauty.

Pinkalicious

Day 141/366
Braids and freckles and pink tie dye... these are a few of my favorite things.

Lilacs

Day 140/366
A little bright spot in the day: the lilacs are beginning to bloom.

Guitar Lesson

Day 139/366
A rainy, home-bound Monday afternoon is a perfect time to learn something new! Enavi asked Jevin to teach her how to fingerpick on the guitar, so they set about with her first lesson. He even gave her homework!

Chives

Day 138/366

Planting

Day 137/366
The kids decided they wanted a garden this year, and today they set to work planting the seeds they picked out. I'm looking forward to enjoying some fresh veggies later this summer.

Wishes and Dreams

Day 136/366
Today was pretty much the perfect weather day that we dream of all winter long. Full sun, no clouds, low-70s, light breeze...I wanted to soak up every minute of the gorgeousness. It's also Enavi's favorite time of year - the dandelion fluff is ready for blowing. Let the wish-making commence!

Pear Blossoms

Day 135/366
The pear tree is blooming and doesn't seem to have any damage from the freezing temps earlier in the week. I love the how the sweet little buds look like tiny roses before they open.

The Last Tulip

Day 134/366
We only had two tulips bloom in our yard this year thanks to some critters munching away on several of the young plants. This is the last surviving tulip for this year, at least at our house, so I decided to capture its beauty. I haven't played around much with water drops and macro photography indoors, but I really like the results! Just for fun, I also converted the image to black and white. I'm not sure which one I like best, as they are both very striking. The color is so vibrant, but I also love how the contrast in the black and white exaggerates the detail in the petals.

Favorites

Day 133/366
Everyone has their favorite pair of shoes, and this guy still loves wearing Crocs whenever possible.

Hold Fast

Day 132/366

A Mother's Love

Day 131/366
"A mother's love is more beautiful than any fresh flower." -Debasish Mridha

Window Washer

Day 130/366
We made the most of the beautiful weather and tackled some outdoor tasks. My assistant did a fantastic job helping me wash some very dirty windows. He has a pretty significant height advantage over me, which also came in handy.

That Smile

Day 129/366
That smile always melts my heart... We spent a little time outside after dinner, soaking in the gorgeous light. It was a bit chilly, but this guy was gracious enough to let his mama drag him around the yard for some pictures, laughing, joking and smiling all the while.

Berry Blooms

Day 128/366
We have several trees and shrubs that are about to burst into bloom. The winner, however, is the buffaloberry shrub! I love these happy little flowers with their subtle pink blush and yellow stamens. Yay for spring!

Trillium

Day 127/366
This trillium flower is reigning supreme over the carpet of tiny white blossoms that blanket the forest floor in Blue Mounds State Park.

Spring Showers

Day 126/366
The day brought gray skies and little showers, just enough to make everything wet but no heavy downpours. We were feeling cooped up, so Enavi and I decided to pull out the umbrellas and head outside for a walk in the rain.

Wood Violet

Day 125/366
Sometimes it feels like the wood violets and dandelions are taking over... but I do really love the color they bring to the yard. And since the wood violet is our state flower, I feel extra partial to the little beauties.

Fresh Flowers

Day 124/366
I love to bring fresh flowers in from the yard and make bouquets for the table or to place around the house. These tulips looked so bright and cheery! I snagged a few additional flowers from Enavi's birthday bouquet to fill out the antique glass jar. They look lovely on my kitchen counter.

To-Do List

Day 123/366
It was a great day for checking some chores off the list, including mowing the lawn.

Tiny Leaves

Day 122/366
Happy May Day! Everything is looking lush and green, and the leaves have popped up on the branches of many of the trees. The golden evening light highlighted all of the beautiful details on the tiny foliage.