They're Everywhere!

After a round of rain--which we sorely needed--we have been enjoying several days worth of nearly perfect weather.  There have been balmy temperatures, low humidity, and plenty of gorgeous sunshine.  Of course, that round of rain turned our office space into a dark, dripping cave again (yes, we still have no roof) but right now that seems to be a small price to pay for our current lovely conditions.

We've been going full-tilt at work, but between the lovely weather outside and the fact that I seem to have hit a nice peak with my workouts where I am gaining energy rather than being worn out by my workouts, I am feeling really good right now.  It has also been really nice to get to spend some time in the back yard and enjoy the green, growing things.  The cats, of course, naturally insisted on enjoying the lovely outdoors, too:

Elegant kitty is elegant.

The planter basket is doing extremely well.  Everything I planted is still green and generally blooming up a storm:

Some very happy flowers.....

Also, the cardinal vine seeds I planted have sprouted...along with about fifty "volunteers" that sprang up after last year's vines (evidently) self-seeded.  Alas, in the interest of not having the little surprise sprouts take over and strangle everything, I had to pull most of the volunteer vine-lets, but the ones where I am wanting them have of course been left in and are doing well.  They're the ferny, feathery-looking plants, and they're growing fast:

Cardinal vines making their debut.

I don't think it will take long before these find the trellis and totally take off.  The baby fig is also doing well, budding out a couple of new little leaves on its growth tips.  It also appears to me that it has a miniature hitchhiker that arrived with it in its pot: 

Can you see the eeeeensy violet?

It's hard to see, but if you look next to the trunk on the side opposite the fig leaves, there is a mystery sprout with suspiciously heart-shaped tiny leaves.  I have a feeling that this is yet another violet.  Of course, this seems to be a tradition given the very healthy violet that came with my bigger redbud tree:

Not the best picture, I am afraid, with the lighting throwing it off, but it's a very good-sized plant with deep-green, heart-shaped leaves.  This, readers may recall, is the one which has begun to colonize my yard and has an offspring currently doing pretty well in my flower bed.  Could it be that the famous Bible verse was actually meant to read "the violets shall inherit the Earth"?    Inquiring minds want to know!