How’s it hangin, blerg? Yesterday your friends embarked on a trip to the Seattle Arboretum for the first time.

I somehow managed to throw my back out on Thursday, but I refuse to “rest”, and besides, it was GORGEOUS yesterday! Sunny and clear and 64 degrees. No way was I going to spend a day like that on the couch.

Other than the Japanese gardens, which cost an admission fee and are not dog-friendly, the Seattle Arboretum is free of charge, huge and sprawling, and very very dog friendly. Well, leashed dogs anyway.

“Cinemascope” filter applied here–kind of makes it look desert-y. But it wasn’t!

More “Cinemascope”. I tried to do bangs yesterday but without daily taming, they just want to part down the middle. Heigh ho!

I let Josh take the leashes as to not aggravate my back further, and we slowwwwly walked about 2.5 miles around the arboretum, gawking at all of the beautiful blooms.

So beautiful. There was an artist with his easel set up in front of the pond, painting away.

Colorful camellias.

Are these rhodies? There were placards explaining what the plants and flowers were, but I missed the placard for these guys.

It was a very relaxing walk. We saw lots of happy Seattle-ites out enjoying a rare sunny day.

Next time we’ll check out the Japanese gardens, sans pets.

Hey little baby ferns!

Loooove.

Mmmm, nothing like going for a walk in nature on a beautiful spring day to bring up those lackluster winter serotonin levels! I felt better than I had all week, yesterday, in spite of my messed-up back.

Someone thoughtfully stuck a pink camellia into the tree knot.

After the walk, we put the girls in the car and walked across Madison to a little garden supply shop (pictures to come), where we gawked at all the “gorgeous little things” (said in Edina Monsoon voice) and who should we run into but Mel! Our old party friend! Small world.

Then we drove down Broadway to get a coffee (well, Josh had a quad; I had a hot chocolate–I’m down to half a cup of coffee now), where we spotted this cute little car.

I’m extra thankful we got out and about yesterday, because today the weather has just been crap! Crap! Josh ran 13 miles this morning (in the wind and rain) while I “slept in” until 9–my back made it difficult to sleep comfortably. I did walk two miles on the treadmill, just to keep things movin’. I watched “The Overnight” while I worked on the first of Corinne’s 4-part cat painting series. Now I’m planning on “resting” on the couch for a bit. Rest! Me? HA!