Sungold, First Flower!!!!!

   My little garden is just outside my studio window, and several times during the day, especially when it's warm and sunny.....I am drawn, HA! seduced, compelled.... to go outside and peek at the new seedlings.
   A few minutes ago I did this and was looking at the tomato plants, still in their pots, as the evenings have been too chilly to plant them out  yet and well WOW!.....there in all its optimistic, joyful Glory was the very first sweet yellow Flower, dangling from a Sungold plant! Most of the others have little buds but this was the very first valiant and darling actual flower......the promise of a tomato, of Summer, of expectations realized!
   I love portents and signs and am more than happy to see miracles around every bend.....this one put a song in my heart and made my day. It is sort of like a baby's first tooth.
See, in the upper right quadrant:
Welcome Flower!

Sparkly Saints and Lambs

I promise, really I do........I will post some art soon, really soon.
I am finally working on the paintings / finishes for a book that has been in my studio far too long.
Also, two other projects ( fun!) that are firming up in comical slow motion, I am convinced that I am perfectly justified in blaming it on that astrological bugaboo, Mercury Retrograde......but it's all okay, fine as other details have taken up my attention and there is that aforementioned book that keeps being put aside while I attend to other projects, allowing me to get a good start on it which will, hopefully, create the momentum to keep it moving forward.
  In the meantime, Spring here has turned fickle and chilly, windy with dark pewter glowering skies, only to suddenly break open in glorious blue and warmth, delighting the tomato plants and letting them stay outside another hour and coaxing slow seeds to finally sprout.
  Everything has sprouted, white and purple scallions, Easter Egg radishes, red, orange and purple carrots, spinach, 3 varieties of arugula, lettuces and mesclun, Argento Swiss Chard and Bright Lights,
Peppermint and French and Lemon Thyme, Chives, Marjoram, Italian Parsley and Rosemary,  Hot Pink and Blue Petunias, Black Eyed Susan Vine, Cream, Pink and Violet Nasturtiums, Heliotrope, Night Scented Stock, Jasmine Tobacco and 5 varieties of Cosmos and Sweet Peas and 8 Heirloom Tomato Plants...everything up and running and looking pretty darn wonderful......still to come Basil and Cucumbers......maybe tri-colored pole beans......a Mandevilla Vine, Alice DuPont which is beautiful and the glorious, intoxicatingly fragrant Datura Meteloides........then my little garden will be finished.

I came across a picture of my old garden in early Spring in Vermont, and the statue of the Goddess Flora.......I loved that garden.....this one will be a bit more modest......but still a source of great Happiness!
Speaking of Happiness, the farm across the road has a meadow full of lambs......they're about as sweet and innocent and charming as one could ask for.

Lastly......after promising myself for four years, I finally turned my old Vermont blanket chest into a Pink, Glittery, Sparkly extravaganza of religious iconography....I have a special affection for Saints, I love the imagery, along with roses, beams of celestial Light, the occasional Angel and the Virgin Mary and the Baby Jesus....all bedecked with brightly colored plastic gemstones and holy medals dangling from the lid and on the drawer. I did a version of this on a wall in my house in Mexico but, of course, couldn't bring it with me......so now, here it is....

Back to more painting tomorrow, will post some soon.