fence sense

 Warm days, cool mornings, and beautiful fog in the back field.

Todd took advantage of the nice weather by putting together a fence, made up of old farm gates.

We had 1500 feet of fencing put in, but one fence doesn't go all the way down to the water at one end.  Now it does...hooray!  

I've been working outside, too...slowly getting seedlings in the ground.  It's not my favorite gardening activity.  I don't like getting dirty and as I'm gritting my teeth and flicking off ticks, I'm trying to remind myself to be positive.  The sun is shining, there's a soft breeze, and think of the flowers that will grow here!  Amid these contemplations, I've noticed a song sparrow that comes every time I start to dig.  Singing while perched on the garden bench...

...or grubbing for worms, just a few feet away from where I'm working.

I'm reading on the porch swing in the late afternoon now...

...and sometimes the sparrow will perch on the deck rail and regard me curiously.  He's not the only creature I see every day.  We have so many turkey vultures!

They are remarkably efficient.  A full-size deer was hit by a car about a half mile from our house.  We passed it every day on the way to our walking location.  It didn't take long for the turkey vultures to find it...

...and the deer was nearly gone within four days!  Another cool thing that I've started to see on this short trip...bowl and doily spiderwebs.  The spiders themselves are tiny and rarely seen, but their webs are everywhere in the late spring.  You can see how they got their names...their small webs look like bowls suspended over gossamer doilies.  They are best visible in the early morning sun.  By afternoon, they fade into the shadows.  

Of course, I'm also seeing tons of new growth on our daily hikes!

The cats were momentarily interested when I started opening all the windows, but they are still devoted to their daily naps.

Frances

Barnabas, sleeping against the barrier meant to keep him separated from Calliope

Even Calliope has started coming downstairs to spend the day by an open window...

...although she's still pretty skittish.  

Enjoying the temperatures, enjoying the birds, and enjoying more flowers coming up in the garden...

geraniums

lily of the valley

false baptisia and euphorbia

part of front shade garden

...loving the spring!

Have a great week! 

cake and ice...temps

 Birthday week!!

Six-inch four-layer German chocolate cake with chocolate frosting

Todd has been getting over a really terrible cold and had zero energy, but we managed a short walk and a museum trip.  The cake I made had the most delicious pecan/coconut filling that I've ever tasted, and I'm not a fan of pecans.  

As an afterthought, I also made a lemon cream pie with graham-almond crust.  I like lemon and have had a lot of lemon desserts, but this, too, was the best in its class, in my opinion.  We groaned in delight for DAYS!  

A lot of delight outside, too.  Green, green, green!

barn in front of our house

dogwoods are blooming!

shade garden by front driveway

Woodland flowers!

trout lily

jack-in-the-pulpit

The apple blossoms withstood the rain...

...but not the wind.

Lilacs have come and gone, too.

So much growing, though.

both columbines

shasta daisies

part of the side rose garden

Claudia is loving life in warmer temperatures.

She's yet to bring us any pests this year, although I saw her this week with a suspicious feather hanging out of her mouth...

The deer are starting to appear in the daytime, and I hear turkeys gobbling in the early mornings now.

our back field

I'm slowly, slowing working on getting my winter sow garden seedlings planted.  I have a low tolerance for cold, and although Todd loves these 55-degree days, I'm shivering in three layers.  It's windy!!  Somehow it feels even colder than wintertime...for once I'm ready for summer.

Warmer temps coming soon.  Have a great week!

Two weeks ago, Claudia waiting for me in the rose garden.

turtle power

Last week we had frost.  Today, it was 93 degrees.  In a few days, it will be back in the 30s overnight.  It can be challenging!  But the cats love the sun.

And I love the sun coming over the hill, which I can see every morning from our living room.  It's even more beautiful now that the leaves are coming in!

The rain...

...has brought out the flowers.

grackle in apple tree

prairie trillium

Japanese anemones

peonies, daylilies, euphorbia

hostas, columbine, lily of the valley

I make up small bouquets with the "nibs and bibbets" in the yard...whatever small flowers and greenery that I can find.  I take this conglomeration and break it into small bouquets that I put in various cat-friendly places around the house.

Claudia is by my side when I pick.

Turtles are moving in the front pond...

...and those April showers brought the flowers, which in turn brought the butterflies!!  So many!

both eastern tiger swallowtails

pipevine swallowtail

black eastern tiger swallowtail

Because of our weather and my sore shoulder, I am woefully behind in the garden.  I've tried to put in a couple hours a day, pulling weeds and prepping beds.  With some company...

chestnut slug

The back annual garden is an absolute disgrace.  None of last year's stalks have been pulled out of the ground, and it's not even close to ready for May's flowers.  I just have to work a bit at a time, when I can.

It's slow going, but I guess I don't mind if things are a little bit late this year.  It's nice to just be outside, watching the bluebirds dart in and out of the birdhouses that Todd just installed...

...and the maple leaves unfurling right in front of my eyes.

The trail cams are yielding more in warmer weather, too.  A happy couple!

I love watching the deer come up out of the woods in our back pond, too.

Although we're wilting from the heat in the moment, we're still loving this most active of seasons.  Hooray for spring!!

Trees all greening up behind the white barn!

Have a great week!