Working With Change

About two weeks ago I got a notice from one of my bird groups that hummers (hummingbirds) were coming through. I washed the dust off my feeder and put it out hoping to see some. My brother in Colorado has three feeders he can barely keep filled as half a dozen visit him at his 'mountain' house all throughout the summer. Here in my state I do not see them in such abundance. I washed one of my feeders and mixed up a batch of sugar water...a cup. I am down to 2/3 of a bag of sugar and wondered if such a large amount was necessary. The feeder should be brought in at least once a week and washed thoroughly and I dump what is left of the sweetened water. The next week I made up only a 1/4 cup which should be enough for 7 days. This Coronavirus even makes viewing the feeding of hummingbirds in a more economic light! The first (and I think only one thus far) arrived!

He returned multiple times throughout the day and glugged away.

Unless he lifts his head you cannot tell that it is a ruby-throated species.  (My windows are a bit hazy with all the rain and wind!)

Beginnings

When I spend my time taking photographs of the flowers that show-off in spring, I sometimes miss the less showy but also lovely trees. The first two below are the oak tree that stands 100 feet tall in my back yard. The last is one of the native maples that produce many of these "helicopters" which clog everyone's gutters.

In Like a Lion and Out Like a Lamb?

Except the lion and lamb are supposed to be in March, I thought. Below is a series of photos that I took from our dock when the last front was just beginning to push through. Please note that it looks far more foreboding and dangerous than it was. Just nice lighting!

Those square floaties are oyster rafts.

I do like taming the lion with the heart of a lamb!

The Primary Show-off

It is hard to take a bad picture of Mother Nature. The show-off this week is our hybrid pink dogwood tree. It sits off to the side of our front yard. Since no one but Insta-Cart drivers sees its beauty these days, I will share it with my readers.

For Christians:  "According to the story, it was the dogwood tree that provided the wood used to build the cross on which Jesus was crucified. Because of its role in the crucifixion, it is said that God both cursed and blessed the tree. ... The middle of the Dogwood flower has a tight grouping of  buds resembling a "crown of thorns.""

The wood is very hard and was used to skewer meet for cooking..."it was said that the term Dogwood could have easily evolved from the Celtic word dag, dagga, or dagwood over the years. The wooden dagge was simply a useful, pointed tool. The tight-grained wood contained no silica, so it was useful in cleaning small spaces that were easily scratched, such as in watches and jewelry. The wood is so hard that the finest weaving shuttles were made from it, and later, golf club heads. The botanical name Cornus reflects this quality, as it means horn, as in bull's horn."

My tree is at least ten-years-old and maybe a few more!  I grab my kitchen ladder and climb up it to take many of the photos. Spring is always windy, so it is hard to get the best focus.

You will note above that my camera focused on the wary Bluebird sitting on his nesting box that is on the other side of the tree instead of the flowers.

In a few days all these petals will be strewn hither and yon and only a pleasant memory. You are all in my thoughts and I am hoping you find some peace and shelter in this trying times. We will weather it!

The late afternoon sun brings out the best of its color. And after dozens of photos, I try some digital painting.

Rewards!!

Spring erupts so rapidly it is hard to keep up. I have posted a few more photos from my yard for those of you who may find it difficult to see this season right now. Of the many things I am thankful for while sheltering in place, spring is at the top of my list.

Does this "Bumbledore" look like he is wearing sunglasses? Maybe he is a celebrity bee?

We never get apples from this tree...never...the squirrels beat us to the harvest EVERY SINGLE TIME. But I am thankful for the lovely blossoms this week.

Above is a nasty invasive related to the mint family.  Still, I am thankful that the pollinators use it!

We bought this pink hybrid dogwood over 10 years ago shortly after moving into this house.  It has gotten very large and very rewarding over that time.

Some Native Reproduction

I have felt less creative which is no surprise. I have felt like just hibernating until the Corona Winter is all over. It will be, soon enough, I know. Today I felt more creative energy flooding my veins as I photographed my native Columbine that have scattered their progeny here and there on my flower bed! Below some digital paintings I want to share.