Discovery

Today, when I was outside in our backyard doing some weeding, I came across a mound of downy fur in one of our flower gardens  When I lightly touched the top of it, it bounced back!  Looks like we have a nest of baby bunnies soon to be out and about and enjoying the bounty of spring's abundant plants after they are weaned from their mother.

Spring Greening

Turtle Time!!!

Today, I found our first box turtle of the season in our garden ... so exciting!!!  So nice, too, that this turtle was bold and very photogenic.  Below is a brief photo summary of our encounter.

I see you!!!

A turtle smile :)

My husband and our new box turtle buddy

Tiny Beauty

One of my favorite butterflies, the tiny azure blue, abounds in springtime in our part of the world.  I always look forward to it's emergence and love to watch it flutter and dance among the smaller flowers it likes the most. 

Morning Visitors

Dusk and dawn are excellent viewing times for wildlife. Yesterday morning, we had two very differnt visitors in our yard ~ one common in spring and summer and one we don't see very often.  It's always fun to see who will be out and about on any given day!

A swallowtail butterfly enjoys lilacs in the morning sun

A turkey makes it way down our front hill

Night-Time Visitor

This evening after it got dark outside, a frog suctioned itself to our backdoor window with its sticky toe pads.  I think this frog is a gray tree frog, common in Maryland and throughout the eastern United States.  It was difficult to get a good shot of him, but the frog was obliged to hang around and pose for my attempts.

 

Flower Gobblers

Eating all those tulips was exhausting! (Nothing but the nubs in the foreground)

Hungry again!!! ~ moving on to the day lilies

Early Bloomers

Gentle colors ~ Lilac, Sassafras, & Redbud Blooms

The Lenten rose is full of blossoms

Everywhere

Looking up, looking down, looking all around ... signs of Spring are everywhere!

Buds opening on the Sassafras Tree

Redbud flowers brighten gray branches

A dainty violet peeks out from a carpet of fallen leaves

Parades of hearts on a Bleeding Heart plant in the garden

New Beginnings

Spring is a time of new beginnings.  Plants sprout, fresh green leaves unfurl, and buds open to the warmth of the sun.



Lilac buds unfold

For some of nature's creatures, Spring is a time of travel.  In April, the slate-colored junco head to Alaska and Canada to breed and raise young in cooler northern climes.  We'll greet these spritely little "snowbirds" next winter when they migrate south again.

A female junco pauses as if to say goodbye before heading north.

Good Morning

Golden glow of the morning sun lights up the winter trees

Sunrise in the hollow

 

Proud Momma Cat Photos

Our Sweeties ~ Shanti and Silver

Shanti's Pretty Pose

Silver's Handsome Pose

Silver's Best Smile :)

Adding More Color

New flowers are opening each day now, and their blooms bring much appreciated color to the unfolding spring landscape.  Yesterday, I added to the mix by planting our patio boxes with pansies.  Pansies come in so many different colors and are such hardy plants.  I chose a pallet of yellows and oranges this time around and they blend nicely with our garden flowers.

 
 

Tulip!!!

I was so happy to find one of the tulips I planted a couple of seasons ago in full bloom this Sunday morning.  The deer love the tulips, too, but they don't love to look at them, they love to eat them!
It's so rare that the flowers ever reach full bloom like this pretty yellow one!

Pretty Poses

Looking Lovely

Framed in Flowers