Cottage Walkabout

After a morning of light frost, daytime cold showers, and a brief afternoon sun, we walked the camera about our yard, discovering spring nonetheless. Tucked into new clematis shoots we found the framework of perhaps a house finch's nest. They favor hanging baskets of flowers, which these vines may resemble. From time to time we will report on this singular effort.
The Gardener's Reward, a cherry tomato plant, has been potted on the front step, the easier to snack on when returning from weeding and watering over the summer. This first blossom against an indistinct border of pansy heralds that bounty.
The Japanese maple, a Mother's Day gift two years ago, adds rich color to the cottage wall, and brings increasing shade to a sitting alcove.
At the back hedge, we stand and glory in the scent and color of lilac. With luck, over the coming weekend we will be able to open our windows and fall to sleep with their sweet smell perfuming the cottage.