Sending smiles

I wanted a simple card to send to a dear friend of mine, the father of the children for whom I was nanny for a few years. Some years ago, he lost his wife, a fabulous woman who is greatly missed. We have lost touch over the years, but I want him to know I think of him and send him love. I hope it cheers him up.

I feel this card could be jazzed up a bit, but I couldn't come up with anything more than the brads once I had stamped the sentiment. I love the clouds, and the balloons, of course, take center stage. I plan to make some similar cards using a thank-you sentiment, and hopefully I'll find just the right touch to make this design rise to the occasion. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself!)

Storm clouds

I was lying on my bed after work this afternoon, looking out the window at the pretty PJM rhododendron blooming there. Since my bed is below ground level, I was looking up through the flowers to the stormy gray sky behind. It was a striking contrast so I decided to open the window and take a couple of photos.



The whole day kept going from sunny blue sky to stormy and gray and back again. This lovely view greets me when I open my window shade each morning (although this photo was taken in late afternoon):



The green lenten roses are behind the pink flower (forgetting its name!) but they're hard to see in the photo because they're all facing away from the window. I eagerly await their blooms each Easter. It's amazing to see the buds emerge, often looking ragged, from under the snow in March, and then to see them unfurl day by day. It's gratifying to have something blooming so early after so much snow.

The dark clouds filled the sky for a little while, and then blew away, leaving behind blue sky and shining clouds once again.



I wonder what tomorrow will bring?