Welcome back, my lovelies.

These are the promises that greeted me on the morning of the longest day of the year.   We've had a lot of rain this year and many days of grey, sunless gloom. 

Then, there were two or three days of glorious sunshine, just in time for Solstice.  The perennials took that as a sign and wasted no time putting up buds. This is what, as gardeners, wait all winter for.  The perennials always know when to send up their buds as a solemn promise that summer really is on its way.

These superstars are (from left to right) Japanese Daisy, Siberian Daisy, and the always lovely and graceful day lillies.  Welcome back!
Pen and watercolor pencils in my lovely new little Pentallic Nature Sketch sketchbook.  The paper is divine and takes water really well.  I like it a lot.