One of my mom and Dave's dogs, Mika, passed away last night. I'm sure she will be buried somewhere in the memorial garden, surrounded by the lushness of their land.

She was a older lady who walked with a limp and had a sweet way about her. She was loved in a big way and will be greatly missed.

Little sprouts are coming up from the seeds Corey and I planted last week! So exciting!

When doing beekeeping volunteering on Tuesday, we started to learn about queen rearing a bit more. If you look just right of center of this photo one of my fellow beeks took, you can see a queen cup. This is where queens are raised. This particular hive needs a new queen, so they've created a couple of queen cups and started heavily feeding royal jelly to the larvae inside. Fascinating stuff.

Corey made me fly! It was awesome.

I had to share these here. Friendship is such a beautiful thing - so helpful for navigating through life. I love looking at the world with Corey by my side. I love being married to a man who takes great photographs. I love living on the beach. It's all here.

My dad sent me this beautiful photo this morning of Madeline's ashes drifting into Quarry Lake, which was her lake.

There is going to be a memorial bench there in her honor. Here's the link to donate to help raise money for it - we are about two-thirds of the way there: https://fundly.com/madeline-s-memorial-bench#home.

Today is my aunt Madeline's memorial service in Austin. My heart is there with my family. There will be another memorial in Cincinnati in August that I will get to attend.

Mad had a way of making you feel so loved, so special. She always wanted to know about my life and what was really going on in my heart and head. She took a real interest in Niall and was always so sweet to us when we would visit. I keep thinking of her twinkling, mascaraed eyes and her strong voice. I remember her singing long ago. I remember her humor and stories and enthusiasm and struggle to find her way.

                               

I remember her seeking and her power. I find comfort in carrying her memory with me to give me strength as I find my way.

Conservatories are wondrous places.

Tucked behind Lincoln Park Conservatory, there are beehives now!

It has been so nice to have one of my favorite people ever in town!

In addition to gardening, Corey and I went on an adventure yesterday! We saw flowers at Lincoln Park Conservatory, animals at Lincoln Park Zoo, and produce, music, and sparkling juice at Green City Market.

We also visited Tree House and Metropolis Coffee and went to dinner with Niall (and sat outside) at Uncommon Ground. What a full, fantastic day! I love this lady.

My absolutely wonderful friend Corey is in town from G'ville! She is staying with us and helped me plant this morning. All the plants are in!

I had the chance to go see Wayra perform in her school's  annual benefit the other day - it's a great Multi-Cultural Festival! Wayra is in the middle of the photo above, really into her dance!

Here she is on the right, showing off her moves!

In the photo below, she's on the left. Love those arms!

Her mama and I were so very proud! What a star!

Consider flowers on a rainy day.

I am especially fond of tulips.

I love a flower as big as your face.

We went downtown today. We listened to a piano and violin concert at the Cultural Center (beautiful!), visited the Chagall's Four Seasons mosaic that Niall took photos of the other day (it didn't disappoint!), and went to Columbia College's Book and Paper Arts Museum to see the MFA Thesis Exhibition (I wasn't inspired by too much there, but fell in love with the Book and Paper Art's Papermaker's Garden and  loved Matthew Hoffman's public art piece- Let's Be Human to Each Other).

The Papermaker's Garden features lots of plants that are to be used for papermaking fiber and art material in the Center for Book and Paper Arts. There weren't many plants right now - but I'm sure there will be some with warmer weather around the corner. The public art piece was all about connection and committing to relationships and engaging in life, which I love.

There was also a piece inside the museum that I found really cool. It was called The Mobile Mill and it's a traveling paper studio that can bring papermaking anywhere, anytime! Pretty great!

I'm thinking about spring and birth today.

I have a new family member! Oliver James, born to my cousin and her husband on Mother's Day. Of the Boisseau cousins, he is the first baby. I cannot wait to meet him. He looks absolutely perfect.

For the second year in a row, my dad has had baby birds hatch outside his front door. He has an old mailbox hanging out there for decoration and this one particular mama bird has chosen it as her nest. 

How amazing!

I got to go back to the Garfield Park Conservatory this morning to do some beekeeping volunteer work. It was a little chilly and threatening rain, so we didn't see many bees. But, we did a little working on frames, choosing and inspecting our volunteer shift's hive- named Gibraltar, and walking around the conservatory grounds to see what the bees have been interested in lately. 

 They seem to like to pollinate the Viburnum trees these days. These springtime trees are so lovely and fragrant - I can see why bees want to spend their day amid their blossoms.

Lots of new growth happening - in all different ways.

Niall just went here to see Chagall's Four Seasons mosaic- I really want him to take me this week. I have probably passed by it many times, but never stopped to really see it.

I finally went to my garden plot the other day. I cleaned it up and am excited to plant this week!

I was surprised to find some big, beautiful chives that have come back there - as well as oregano, catnip, and sage. My chives have flowered. I hear that you don't want them to do that, but they are so pretty I don't care.

For our weekly date, Niall and I went to Canal Origins Park near Pilsen. It was very small and dirty, yet beautiful. There were several men fishing there and an old man tree I fell in love with. 

There was this abandoned factory nearby. 

I love our weekly adventures all over the place - it's good for the mind, body, and soul.

Dance party with Wayra= mega fun times! It's been such a beautiful, life-changing experience to see this girl grow. I got the chance to be there at her birth and see her first enter the world, all squinty-eyed and surprised. Now she is four and a half years old! I feel like every time I get to spend time with her, she has developed a little bit more. My mom has always sweetly said (ever since I was a wee one) that I just get better and better every year - I have this same feeling about dear Wayra.

Yesterday marked the beginning of beekeeping season at the conservatory. I'm not due there until next Tuesday, but one of my fellow beekeeping volunteers sent this photo out. It sounds like it was an amazing day and I'm so excited to get back there. Look at the little bees in flight, so ready to pollinate!

An active, sweet moment with Cass and his catnip strawberry this morning. Oh, how I love this boy.

I just read this book and loved it. It was full of real-life classroom inspiration and struggle.