...and then there were three

These first peonies are fading fast...

...but I planted many different varieties.  Ruffles and more ruffles.

Peonies are such great old-fashioned flowers.  I'm going to have a massive bed of them when we finally settle somewhere!

Our house finches are growing quickly.  Do you see the feces around the edge of the nest?  For the first week or so of their lives, the adults eat the feces of the young, but after that, the babies void at the rim of the nest.  The rim of feces grows and grows until they, at last, fly away. They're considered pretty messy birds, although so far everything is staying in the fern.

The big news around here, though, is...GOZ. 

The nest I've been watching is still occupied, but ANOTHER clutch of eggs has hatched in an unknown location, probably a week or so ago.  First we had four little goslings, but now (gulp) there are three.  And we love watching them!

I was weeding by the pond this weekend and the adult geese brought the babies, bumbling, over the bank.  I sat quietly and watched as they fed all around me. 

Actually, it's quite wonderful to just sit outside with a camera.  I did the same thing in Indiana and there's so much to be seen.  This weekend, the weather was mild, and I worked quietly as the goz padded around.  Small brown birds skimmed the water for gnats and mosquitoes.

A pair of ducks preened and swam in lazy circles.

A slug, disturbed by the sudden loss of weed cover, headed for darker pastures.

A black rat snake popped his head up in the ivy to watch my progress.

It was so peaceful.  The weather has been so delightfully cool around here, mostly in the 60s and lower 70s, so it's been the perfect time to get outside and work in the yard.

Everything is fully green now...

...and maybe the long, hot summer won't feel quite as long, since spring has been so good to us this year.

Have a great week!