flower-watch in progress

so instead of counting down to the new "game of thrones" season, in premiere since 2013 :) i'm on a flower-watch. so far we're ahead of both '14 and '15, still not quite catching up with europe on the flower front:), but almost. we have all the possible small blooms (flowers here are so small: mini-tulips, mini-daffodils, a variety of pretty blue ones), pretty standard. 

and the buds are pretty advanced too, once they focus a bit more, that's it, they'll burst into leaves. next week for sure.

magnolias, today. it's amazing to see day by day how this opening advances

i don't want to forget these days, ever.

the ducks are back on the lake in the park, and so are a whole bunch of people on the banks and the islands and the meadow (on a weekend) trying to get suntanned at 19 degrees

and so are my sunglasses on my nose. not fashion, hey, just necessity (though i probably need real glasses in fact, mind you)

back against the wall. walking to a reading in mile end, straight from a shift at the cafe. i love days when i can actually get out of work and go do something else, i.e. more than take pics 

spring in mile end. everyone and their dog is/are biking around these days

st bernard, on a sunday evening

...with close-up of a cute resto, people sitting outside at the ice cream shop (!) and lights!!! lights are all the rage. i keep wanting to take a detour (for photo-ops) on parc, where there are lights in jars hanging from every tree along the curb.
also: "my" ice cream shop opened last weekend. of course it did.  but i still have a lingering sore throat that makes me think twice. 

i maintain that my neighbourhood is the champion at clothes drying in montreal. this season starts strong.

more bike, more walk etc. also i'm wearing boots here because i'm really dressed up, for my standards at least. spring does bring that out in me. biking sounds tempting...but wearing skirts after 6 months? priceless.

first time this year sitting out after dark: on linda's porch, with (portuguese/homemade) wine. and cookies. and a jumpy cat.

talking about dressing up: there's a lot going on in this picture. alas, none of the accessories belongs to me 

ready to go out...to the depanneur on the corner. but first, some words of wisdom from "he's not that into you"

this is why my timing is off when i walk home from work (1 h 4 mins today): stopping all the damn time to take pics.
also: another sign of proper season change:
construction, duh!