As I wrote yesterday, I’m renting a macro lens for a couple of months to see if I want to keep it or try another one with my new Leica. I was surprised that a macro lens – it came today could take such a good portrait of Maria, the subject of a thousand faces.

The first thing I do when I get a new lens is to take a picture of what Maria looks like. It always comes out well if I take a portrait photo of someone I love or like very much.

It’s a sacred ritual here for me. If I can’t take a good photo of her, I return the lens. Good portraits of Maria are a must if a lens wants to live at Bedlam Farm.

I also tried the Magna out on the only two flowers we have bloomed so far; I’ll post those photos next.

This afternoon the temperature was well into the 80s.

Maria goes barefoot when it gets this warm, and she sat outside with me while I planted the first flowers from my garden beds. It’s early and risky, but the weather production says the next few weeks will usually be warm, and no temperatures are expected to go below freezing through April.

(Maria wasted no time in shifting to summer mode.) She won’t wear shoes from now on unless she’s going into the pasture or it’s below freezing.)

I’m taking the risk for the new seeds; I’ll cover their beds with a tarp if it gets chilly. I want to jump on the garden bed flowers planting soon to get things growing. I might regret it.

I planted some hardy pansies in the corner of the new garden beds; I want to see some color in there, even though most of the flowers will be planted in mid to late May. The Pansies should be fine. Even if the flowers die, the plants will continue to grow.

I put the pansies next to the Nasturtiums I planted. should yield a lot of colors. I’m a color and light guy.

I found these seeds below in an unmarked envelope in a cabinet, I have no idea what they are, but I planted them in the garden beds. I’m not a patient man.