Note: Today's regularly scheduled Matisse Monday will be back later this week in the form of a Matisse Month wrap-up.

This long weekend was full of sunshine, colour, cleaning, renewal and Mother Nature! I am full and giddy with gratitude for the space in which I dwell at the moment - literally and figuratively.

Earth day was celebrated with a trek to Mud Lake, one of my favourite spots in the city, where two deer crossed our path, I spotted my first turtle of the season and watched a great blue heron patiently hunt and catch its lunch.

Easter Sunday was spent "springifying" the house: ditching the dustbunnies, cleaning, scrubbing and switching the flannels for a set of apple green cotton sheets. Sometimes physical renewal begets spiritual renewal.

And then, to top it all off, the weekend brought me not one, not two, but THREE walks by the river during which I played joyfully with my camera.

I didn't even include the documentaries I watched, reading, writing, dinner with family, cake...

I am grateful.

A few snapshots for you:

blue carpet, Mud Lake

solid, Mud Lake

blue delicate, Mud Lake

orchid magenta

three stems sit in a vase on my dining room table; their rich colour brings me joy at every sight

pink bunny on the Ottawa River

Sis and I took a walk along the river and spotted this little fella sitting on a rock -

neither one of us could resist such a perfect photo op!

silver sunset, Westboro Beach

(a sneak peek at Part II)

Stay tuned for Scenes from a Long Weekend: Part II, where you'll get to see just how clicker-happy I can get when it comes to the evening light...