It's chaos here...

...and fun to boot.

With Rochelle coming to stay with us for the summer as she joins the staff at Creston Veterinary Hospital, our household has doubled in size, if not in humans, as of yesterday.

Rochelle's two female dogs, JoJo and Daisy, are making themselves at home while Opal the Wonder Cat (can you see her in the photo?) struggles against all odds to train the additional staff.  She's a trooper!

Being of sound mind and body myself, I immediately got out of town to join Laura and Eileen a good way up the mountainside for tea and the beauty of nature.  The company was outstanding,

and the view was amazing.  A favourite hiking spot of Eileen's, it was a terrific vantage point to see valley bottom from a different angle.

A lovely break, it was a welcome re-connection with Mother Nature's glory.

Always it's a treat to come home and do the same in the back yard.  Today was a harbinger of hot summer days, and the garden was a great 'Ta Da' of anticipation.

Some of the tulips are in full bloom,

others are pregnant with possibility.

The forsythia is paying homage to the sky,

 and who says that pansies are quiet and retiring?  These ones look blatantly showy!

 Even the lowly dandelion echoes the sun on a day like this!

Oh, and somewhere in there I managed to sneak in some time for fun foam plate construction,

and even finish some.

So welcome home, Rochelle, thanks for the respite Eileen and Laura, and blessings on you, Mother Nature, for always showing your truly extraordinary colours!