Random Things That Make Me Smile

The rain is back, as I was certain it would be.  It feels more Spring-like this time.  Cold, but not freezing.  Breezy, but not gusty.  The almond blossoms are being knocked to the ground and the bees are certainly hiding. 

Days like this require artificial sunshine,

brought to you by the following random things that make me smile.

Obviously, she makes me smile.

Well, most of the time.

Like when she looks like this.

And this.

What exactly is she doing here?

Would you believe she posed herself like this?

Well, she did.

Is that a sign she gets her picture taken too often?

A cocoon!

I haven't seen one in years.

 I found this one attached to the garden wall.

I use that term "garden" very loosely.

There is probably some ugly moth forming in there.

I'm pretty sure I'll never know.

One day it will just be gone, or empty.

But, for now, it is amusing.

Blossoms.

Or at least what is going to be blossoms if the sun ever comes out again.

These are on our flowering plum trees,

which make me smile because, to date, they are the only trees we have actually planted on the property.

We are lucky to have many trees, most of which were planted years ago

and are already big and shady.

Last summer we planted two trees of our own.

They are short and spindly and heavily braced

to protect them from the wind.

Someday, they will be tall and bushy, and best of all, purple.

Weeds.

Ok, not really weeds.

Mixed in those weeds, if you look really close, especially in the middle,

there is wild mint.

Actually, I don't really know if it is mint, or if it is wild.

What I DO know is that it grows all around our ponds

and if you stomp on it a lot, then you start smelling mint and it is wonderful.

It doesn't look like the pretty mint you would grow on purpose, or make tea out of, or use to garnish a fancy dessert.  It looks like a weed, but the scent makes me smile.

Bailee and her crooked ears make me smile.

Except when she runs down the driveway toward the road to bark at the cows across the street.

Then I start yelling and she comes cowering back into the yard.

She has no clue about the dangers of the road.

Lunati and her weird name.

You can tell a guy named her.

Go ahead, google Lunati.

It's right along the lines of Mallory.

No offense, of course, to anyone named Mallory.

Go ahead, google that one too.

Layla.

No, this isn't my dog, but she visits us often.

She LOVES to swim.

Even at 11 pm in January.

Unfortunately for her, she doesn't have much hair to keep her warm,

and she ends up freezing cold. 

This, of course, does nothing to deter her from swimming every chance she gets.

That ONE long hair.

I wish you could see it better in the picture.

I need to get a picture of it dry because it curls up like a little coil.

Too cute.

Aunty Beth thinks I need to cut it.

What does she know?

I hope you're smiling too.