The last weekend of the month is when I do my monthly review. What have you been up to this past month? Here’s what’s been happening in my corner of the world and what I enjoyed in April.
Portugal
Week 1 of April was the second half of my adventures in Portugal that I started in the last week of March. I had good weather throughout my trip, with daytime high temperatures ranged from 20C to 27C (68F to 81F). My itinerary included Lisbon, Cascais, Sintra, Evora, Fatima, Tomar, Coimbra and Porto.
I used local transportation systems to get around, walked to explore every day, visited several incredible UNESCO World Heritage Sites, met other travellers, savoured Portuguese cuisine and enjoyed Port wine tasting in Porto. I returned home with wonderful memories and many photos. I’ll publish my ‘Postcards from Portugal‘ starting next week.
Homecoming
Week 2 was a fantastic homecoming week. The highlights include Easter weekend with family and catching up with friends. During week 2, Toronto set new temperature highs (26C-28C) a few days in a row. Suddenly we had summer weather in mid-April. I enjoyed seven consecutive fun outings that include bike rides, walks with friends, bird and turtle watching, and seeing spring flowers in bloom.
Sakura
Week 3 highlight was the viewing of cherry blossoms or Hanami Sakura. The warm temperatures in week 2 encouraged cherry trees to bloom early this year. The cherry blossoms are spectacular but peak bloom lasts only about a week. Such fleeting beauty. I feel grateful to see these delicate flowers every spring.
Lumière
Week 4 highlight was an evening walk to see public art at the Lumière: The Art of Light festival. This free outdoor light exhibition allows visitors to explore Trillium Park and experience sixteen light art installations developed by Ontario artists. The theme Renewal of the exhibition celebrates the change of seasons from winter to spring.
To see some of the light exhibits, use the arrows to move through the following 8 slides. For more information about the artwork and artists, click here.
On the Blog
The weekly Weekend Coffee Share linkup and Photographing Public Art Challenge have been going well in April. Thank you to all who have shared updates, comments and/ or photos from around the world. Here’s the links for April’s posts in case you missed any and want to catch up:
For more blogging fun, I’m linking up with Sue’s #WBOYC and Ju-Lyn’s #TheChangingSeasons.
Weekend Coffee Share
I’d love for you to share what’s been happening, simple joys from your week and/ or favourite public art photos from around the world in the comments or Weekend Coffee Share linkup #116 InLinkz below.
Happy May!
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Natalie the Explorer 
Well you sure had a wonderful April!!! Loved the luminaries! Did you use a tripod for those images? They are beautiful!
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Dawn, Thank you for your comment. I’m glad you like the Lumière light art exhibits. I didn’t use a tripod, just my cellphone camera and my hands 🙂
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Cellphone cameras are soooo good now! I think my cell phone does better in low light situations than my camera.
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I’ve been taking all my photos with a cellphone for several years and my cellphone is an older model even when I bought it. It meets my needs for portability, multi-function and hobby photography.
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You had a great April. Lumière looks awesome! So glad you enjoyed your trip to Portugal.
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Darlene, Thank you for your comment. I’m glad you liked Lumière. I hope to return to Spain later this year. If I do get to go there and close to your area, will contact you for a meetup. Have a wonderful weekend!
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That would be awesome.
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Hi Natalie – loved the Lumière light show pics – all so very pretty. I also noticed that we both has swans in our monthly wrap up posts – just different colours (we don’t have white swans in Western Australia – except at the zoo).
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Hi Leanne, We sure have opposite seasons and animals. White swans and Canada geese are common here and since it’s spring here, they are nesting so I expect to see cute, fuzzy ducklings and goslings in May.
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Gosh all of your photos are amazing but I especially love the blossoms. The Lumiere light show also looks very interesting. Is it a temporary thing?
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Thank you Bernie. The cherry blossoms are spectacular this week. The Lumière event is temporary from March 10 to May 7.
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Portugal has always seemed like an amazing destination. I am looking forward to hearing about it in detail. The cherry blossoms are so pretty. And the Lumiere light show is amazing!
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Thank you Michelle for your comment. My first Portugal post is coming up next week. I hope you’ll enjoy it.
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So glad you had good weather in Portugal and also when you got back to Canada. Our weather has been appalling in the UK! Very cold. I love seeing the blossom, and one day hope to go to Japan for Hanami Sakura. Thanks for the link-up, enjoy your weekend
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Gail, Thank you for your comment. Japan gifted Toronto with cherry blossom trees years ago and those trees have been giving us spectacular blossoms every spring. Japan is a beautiful and fascinating country. I visited it once and always want to return for another visit. I hope the weather in the UK improves. Have a wonderful weekend!
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So many wonderful highlights this month! I can’t wait to hear more about Portugal. We enjoyed some real summer-like temperatures for just a couple of days in April too and I’m anxiously awaiting their return.
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I look forward to having consistently warm weather, too.
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What a fantastic month Natalie! I’m looking forward to your postcards from Portugal.
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The first postcard is expected to arrive next Friday 🙂
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I’m looking forward to seeing your Postcards from Portugal: and thanks for sharing the Art of Light Festival too!
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You’re welcome, Margaret. My first ‘postcard from Portugal’ is expected to arrive next Friday.
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And here I am with another entry for your Public Art Challenge. https://margaret21.com/2023/04/29/loitering-in-laon/. I’m not sure I’m using the Weekend Coffee Share link correctly, but I’ll get there eventually!
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Margaret, Your PPAC pingback worked fine. All comments with links are moderated so they may not appear on my blog right away. Thank you for your PPAC contribution that took me to France. I used to visit France quite often before COVID started. I resumed international travel this year and hope to return to France soon.
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Hoping that’ll b sooner rather than later!
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So many beautiful places to explore, so little time.
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A month for travelling, the holiday to Portugal sounded great. My highlight was eleven of us family get together holiday in the lovely Lake District far from my home.
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Your family get-together sounds fantastic. It’s usually a challenge to find date(s) that work for everyone. Well done! I hope you have a wonderful May.
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That’s for sure, coming from four different parts of the country and with four school children and a teacher it had to be at Easter when everyone was travelling.
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Wow, extra stars and rounds of applause for all eleven of you to make it happen.
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Lumière: The Art of Light festival would be a lot of fun. Hope you have a great weekend, Natalie.
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Thanks, Shari. The Art of Light festival is a nice way to say goodbye to winter and welcome to spring.
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Wow! You really have been living large! How fabulous! Portugal. And I love light art. Ours is coming up soon!
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It was wonderful to revisit Portugal. I look forward to seeing your light art photos.
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This is great Natalie because we’ve been discussing popping over to Portugal for a few days when we’re in the UK and Porto was one place that was mentioned. How serendipitous! I love all the spring flowers and things that are happening like the light show. Thanks for taking us with you 🙂
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Debbie, There’s plenty to explore and enjoy in Porto. I had a wonderful time in Portugal and would return for another visit. Thank you for linking up. Have a great weekend!
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The cherry blossoms are gorgeous. Lots of fun & good things for April. #Weekendcoffeeshare
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The cherry blossoms are spectacular this week. I never get tired of seeing them.
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You have had a busy and fulfilling month, Natalie. You really are Natalie the Explorer. I’m trying to choose my favorite photo of yours this month, and I’m having a very hard time with it. I love the way you arranged the ducks next to the flower pictures. The purple globes are amazing looking. And the cherry blossoms are such a beautiful color I want to eat them. 🙂 I’ll be back tomorrow to visit more of your links. My husband is already snoring. 🙂
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Marsha, I’m glad you liked my photos and how I arranged them in this post. I tried hard not to include too many photos and arranging them on my blog is my hobby of ‘digital collage’. I wanted to eat the cherry blossoms, too. They’re spectacular this week. We had rain yesterday and this weekend so some of the blossoms will not be around next week. I hope you’re enjoying the weekend.
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I didn’t realize they disappeared so quickly but it makes sense – a little rain, wind, hail, and they are gone! Have a great weekend and another busy week next week.
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Cherry blossoms are weather-dependent. At the end of the peak bloom, the petals drop and look like soft pink and white confetti on the ground. Have a great weekend!
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Like a warm snowfall. I love it.
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I love your “a warm snowfall” description.
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Thanks, Natalie.
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I’m looking forward to your postcards from Portugal, I didn’t realise you’ve visited so many different locations.
Our blossoms have been and gone… right on time for this part of the world. Yours were lovely, it’s a shame they don’t last long.
Lumière looks amazing, I love all of them.
Here is mine for this week:
https://photographias.wordpress.com/2023/04/29/ppac-lisbon-18/
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Sofia, Portugal is a small country so I was able to cover many different locations by train and on foot. The metro in Lisbon and train system in Portugal are both easy to use. I’m glad you contributed a mural from Lisbon this week. I love seeing public art in different places around the world.
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Yes, I know, I’m from Lisbon 🙂
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I hope you like my postcard next week 🙂
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I’m sure I will.
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Love the light collection especially umbra light.
Thank you for sharing.
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You’re welcome, PTP. That Umbra Transit light exhibit changes colours, from white to yellow, orange, blue, to different shades of purple. It’s quite beautiful to see IRL.
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Natalie the light exhibits are amazing. Such beautiful colours. I love the blossoms too
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Thank you, Jennifer, for your comment. I love colours and flowers. Both the Art of Light exhibits and the cherry blossoms check off those boxes for me.
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Hi, Natalie,
Your cherry trees are gorgeous and hold out the promise of a lovely spring in Toronto. Thanks for sharing. We’re well into spring here, and we kick off the Dogwood Arts Festival this weekend, which runs for two weeks and celebrates both visual and performing arts. I love this time of the year! Have a great weekend. Eagerly looking forward to Friday’s postcard. Joe
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Joe, The Dogwood Arts Festival sounds like a lot of fun. If you go, I hope you share some photos. Spring is a beautiful season, full of new beginnings and renewal. Have a wonderful weekend and week ahead!
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Sounds like quite the month. Starting in Portugal makes it special right there, then Easter with family, visiting friends, a warm start to spring, etc. Hope you have a wonderful week and that May is special as well 🙂
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Thank you, Trent. April has been wonderful. We got rain showers this weekend so I expect lots of green grass and flowers in bloom in May 🙂 Have a great weekend and week ahead!
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It is cold and rainy here today, so I expect these April showers will turn into May flowers next week…
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Sounds like we have similar weather patterns.
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The weather often moves west to east, so we do get Great Lake weather a day or two later (I have family in Cleveland…) Often, though, our weather comes up the coast to stop that pattern.
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The luminaries are beautiful. This something different and you captured well. Enjoyed looking at them.
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Thank you Ganga. I’m glad you liked my photos. My night photos are usually not as good as my daytime photos but those light art ones turned out OK to me.
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Cherry blossoms are beautiful! I used to see them in the spring when I lived in Virginia as a kid.
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Yes, the DC area has beautiful cherry blossoms in the spring.
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Hello Natalie! It is so lovely to read your post again and have you join us for the WBOYC link up. We stayed in Portugal (Lisbon) for a couple of days before our Spain tour about 4 years ago. I would love to revisit one day although there are so many places to visit in the world. Gorgeous Spring photos of the cherry blossoms so thank you for sharing. Have a wonderful May and I look forward to reading what you have been up to. xx
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Hi Sue, True that there are so many places to visit in the world. This spring I revisited Portugal since I like it from my previous visit and explored new places in Portugal. Have a wonderful May! I look forward to reading your monthly wrap-up posts.
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Great update natalie. Those light exhibits are beautiful.
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Thank you, Kirstin. The artists did a good job on those light art exhibits. I’m glad you liked them.
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The mushroom lights are adorable!
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Thank you Sophie for your visit and comment. I love those mushroom lights. They are located on a small hill with a great view of Lake Ontario and the city’s skyline.
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Hi Natalie, what a beautiful and fun April! I love all your photos. I saw in the comments you use your cell phone for your photos and so do I as well. I’m happy with them and am happy I’m not alone using my phone camera. I hope you have a wonderful weekend! 😍
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Hi Diana, I’ve been using my cellphone camera for all of my photos for several years. I’m glad to hear you’re happy with your phone camera, too. It’s great to see you at the linkup this weekend. I’ll visit your blog shortly.
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Those cherry blossoms are gorgeous! Loved the light exhibits too, and I’m looking forward to your postcards from Portugal.
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The first postcard is expected to arrive next Friday 🙂
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I can’t wait to see more photos from Portugal and hear about your trip! The cherry blossoms are wonderful.
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My first postcard from Portugal should be here next Friday 🙂
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Such a great April you had. Very nice. The trip to Portugal is super cool.
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Thank you, Patrick. I hope April has been good to you, too. Happy May!
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I’m happy to read you had another wonderful, happy, diverse, social, healthy, and beautiful month, Natalie. The light exhibit is amazing – subtle yet attractive and impressive.
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Thank you, Liesbet. I hope April has been good overall to you, Mark and Maya, too. We’ve had rain showers this weekend so I look forward to green grass and lots of flowers in May.
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April in Colombia has been mostly good, when you don’t count the times when people stuck a metal tube in our tire, which deflated it within seconds and ruined it and the road barricade we got stuck in for five hours the other day. 🙂
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I have no kind words for people who intentionally damage other people’s properties or vehicles. The road barricade incident must have been frustrating. Wishing you three safe and happy travels.
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What a fun April! I really enjoyed your photos and reading about your month. Here’s my contribution to the Weekend Coffee Share https://wanderingdawgs.com/2023/04/30/april-in-the-rear-view-mirror/
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Beth, Thank you for your weekend coffee share. I love your bird and flower photos. I hope you have a wonderful May and look forward to reading about your month.
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Lovely flowers & Sakura, Natalie 👏 The light exhibits are amazing to see 😃 Mine for the week: https://jezbraithwaite.blog/2023/05/01/painted-stones-cellpic-sunday-ppac/
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Thank you Jez for your PPAC contribution. I got to see pretty painted stones at Barassie Beach, South Ayrshire. They’re delightful finds.
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I am sure you had a wonderful time.
Here is my entry this week: https://mywanderings.travel.blog/2023/05/01/autumn-in-emerald-lake/
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Teresa, Thank you for your PPAC contribution that took me to scenic Emerald Lake in Australia. The murals are beautiful, colourful and carry a story.
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Deliciously power packed post, Natalie, capturing an extremely varied and exciting April!
Your image of Porto reminds me so much of my memory of La Rochelle, France. Portugal is definitely on my list of Places to Plan Towards.
Yes, Sakura! I love that I can look forward to this stunning pink season each year in your space – and neither of us has to go to Japan! Do you see any sakura-flavoured or sakura-inspired treats during the season?
💗💗💗 Lumiere! I love night light festivals and this one looks so fun! My firm favourite is the Numerology of Mushrooms.
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Ju-Lyn, Good question about sakura-inspired treats. Sakura petals are edible and there are sakura recipes online. I should check what Japanese coffee shops and stores in downtown Toronto offer next spring. I also love the Numerology of Mushrooms. It’s located on a small hill overlooking Lake Ontario and the city’s skyline.
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I’ve only recently realised that Sakura petals actually do impart a gentle floral fragrance to a treat; I always thought it was just the colour & shape of a treat that made it sakura-inspired😆
Ah! Art with a view – lovely!
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A busy week! I’m posting some public art of a very different kind today: https://margaret21.com/2023/05/03/the-gegants-of-catalonia/
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A fun-filled week 🙂 Thank you Margaret for your PPAC contribution that took me to Spain. I love seeing public art around the world and those that carry traditions like the Gegants of Catalonia are extra-special.
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I think they’re special, by being made by locals mucking in together and pooling their talents.
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Yes, that community spirit is not to be taken for granted.
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Hi, Natalie – Your adventures in Portugual sound fantastic. I greatly look forward to seeing your posting of ‘postcards’ from there. And it looks like you returned home to delightful weather in Toronto. While we were away, our Vancouver Island weather was really at its worst. It has been better on our return, but still very up and down. Bring on summer!!
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Hi Donna, It’s raining here today but good weather is in the forecast from tomorrow on. Yes to bring on summer!
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Wishing us both summer weather soon!
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