My fig tree is just starting to leaf out and already has baby figs coming! Right now we are alternating its inside vs outside time because we are still having some nights that threaten to dip below the freezing mark. I don’t want to risk the new leaves or the baby figs getting nipped!

Photo taken yesterday against the backdrop of the garage door while it spent the day sunning outside. Taken again with the Lensbaby.

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There are so many different varieties of daffodils! This is the kind I have in my yard (which were here when we moved in).

They are pretty, but not the kind that most people envision about when they hear the word “daffodil.” These are:

Last Friday I decided to visit one of my favorite places, Skylands Botanical Gardens, to see what was flowering there. I found quite a few different varieties.

This one is similar to mine, but the trumpet is a different yellow. I love how the yellow spills on to the petals.

Orange sherbet!

Look how much longer the trumpet is on this variety. Pinocchio!

Love these.

This one I would call a narcissus but when I looked up the term “narcissus” it’s really just meant to encompass all varieties of the daffodil family. Yet, it has a shorter, more flared trumpet.

I decided to get up-close-and-personal with some of them. You know me: I’m a macro kind of girl. The next set of photos were taken with the Lensbaby with two macro lenses stacked on top of each other. Only one area of the flower will be in focus. I hope you find them interesting.

Daffodils are beautiful, but remember if you bring them inside put them in a vase by themselves as they are toxic to other blooms!

All photos taken in Branch Brook Park.

hello my adoring readers! it’s me; bella! i know i haven’t posted for a long time but i’ve been pretty good. well … good for me anyway. mommy says i never have a halo over my head but i don’t know what she means by that. who would want something hanging over their head anyhoo? beats me.

we haven’t really had any winter here. i love snow, so it’s been kind of a downer. but, as they say in dogville, when winter give you grass instead of snow — make grass angels!

here’s how you do it.

first pick a nice patch of dried up grass in the yard. make eye contact with the person you want to make laugh (or annoy). you choose.

then you start the roll like this: (are you watching??)

make sure you take full advantage of the situation while still on your back! be sure to wiggle your butt and kick your legs!

finishing up on the other side

and if you’ve done it properly you will end up looking like this:

you might have to try it a time or two to get it right. it does take some practice. if you like getting brushed you will enjoy this activity even more. if you don’t, well, be prepared to stay outside until you don’t have any more grass on you because your mommy will be annoyed with you and not let you in the house.

let me know how you make out!