Congratulations. . . it's a flower

Right off the bat I'll just say I've decided to stop titling every sketchbook sunday post with "Sketchbook Sunday"..... since Sunday (or Monday night) is usually when I post at all..... um..... I'll just think of a witty headline and leave the Sketchbook Sunday part in the tags.

There, thats pretty good for spring cleaning.

Since it is spring around here, that means one thing in the Fabulous Illustrator's house: yard work. Last year we moved to a house that had a smaller yard than our "starter house," and this yard had absolutely no landscaping of any kind. While I thought this would be easier, alas I was mistaken. For the last 12 months I've looked out at our barren yard in frustration so now the planting has begun in earnest. Right after moving in a year ago, Jim Dear gave me a white peony for our anniversary. I had had a peony at our old house that I'd coddled along... it bloomed once and then disappeared for 3 years. Nevertheless, the year we put the house on the market, out it came with two buds - but we sold the house before I ever got to see it bloom again. So when I planted this new peony, I fully expected to enjoy it for a few months and then not see it again, except as a few tiny stalks, for several years.

The peony had other plans.

Much to my surprise it sprang forth from the ground practically overnight and is now sporting two large fat buds. A princess with child could not be watched and clucked over as much as I've fussed over these two round blooms in waiting. Last year it was in full bloom on our anniversary in May so I'm expecting to be a peony parent any day now.


NO, a chocolate green cupcake, Mommeeeee!Baby Sprout is a lot of things but dainty and retiring she is not. As I mentioned in this earlier post, she is a big fan of cupcakes, even when she has to imagine them. Last week, while I was cooking dinner, Sprout was "making" cupcakes and bringing them to me to taste. First she made a blue cupcake, then she made a pink cupcake, then she made a green cupcake. When I suggested she make a chocolate cupcake, Sprout was less than ecstatic about my taste preference.

"NOO, no chocolate!" she bellowed

"But chocolate is good, Sprout."

"NO CHOCOLATE, JUST GREEN!!"

"ok," I replied quickly, "just green."

"NO MOMMY, NOT JUST GREEN...... A CHOCOLATE GREEN CUPCAKE!!!! EAT IT MOMMEEE!!!"

Believe me, I ate it and I kept my mouth shut about having a pink strawberry cupcake.