back balcony & beyond

the resident squirrels are in nest-building mode, how I wish I had a zoom!  however, I did manage to get a couple shots and have cropped them here.  the other photos are the maple tree flowering, the Virginia Bluebells (I found one last year at the Botanical Garden Perennial Market), one of the last 3 Magnolia stellata blooms and a Ranunculus I picked up today at the weekend market - couldn't resist its cheerfulness.

Today I feel ok, aside from a lingering soreness in the chest and throat - don't know if it's the stupid recurring cold thing, allergy season starting up or something else, but grateful for a better day.  Hope everyone is doing well, hang in there..