My favorite season is Fall, with Spring coming in a close
second. I love the Autumn colors and
decor, the return of “pumpkin everything” and even that wee nip in
the air necessitating adding extra clothing.
However, for me, Autumn is also the harbinger of things to come, namely
Winter which I despise.
Spring, on the other hand, brings its pastel palette. I love to watch the “real Spring”
unfold as the neighborhood comes alive in an awesome display of flowers. Here is an array of some of Mother Nature’s
eye candy I enjoyed while walking home from the Park on Easter Monday. Most of the flowering trees are out, except
the magnolias and the neighborhood tree leaves have yet to unfurl as of this
morning.
These purple Hyacinths were bending down to touch the earth.
The pink petals of this Hyacinth were splashed with caked-on mud from all the rain we got last week.
A paler version of the rainbow of colors of other Hyacinths, these still looked pretty and perky.
Nothing says “hello Spring” like Daffodils, their heads bobbing in the breeze.
These tulips are still closed tightly – no tiptoeing through them just yet.
These Magnolia tree blossoms were still closed, but this morning they were just starting to open. I hope our chilly weekend weather won’t cause them to wilt and wither on the branches.
I admire this Weeping Cherry tree every Spring.
These Pansies create a riot of color beneath that beautiful flowering tree.
Pale purple Pansies, like me, turn their faces toward the sun.
Do you recognize this bright-yellow wildflower? (Hint: it’s an ace-in-the-hole for bees.)
That Dandelion was one of many clustered at the curb at Memorial Park. Did you know before the 20th century Dandelions were coveted and grass was weeded out to make room for them to thrive?
These healthy-looking weeds were growing in a sidewalk crack amongst the tree “dander”.
Stunning Azalea.
Shoots of Hostas. Once they sprout, the growth spurts are amazing, almost like time-lapse photography. Maybe not great looking now, but gettin’ there.
Spring continues to load slowly, but I believe we have finally progressed to more than just an entry on the calendar. Why? Because a little birdie told me so!
This songbird was surveying its “kingdom” and studying me intensely!
This is my first blog and I enjoy writing each post immensely. I started a walking regimen in 2011 and in 2013 I decided to create a blog as a means of memorializing the people, places and things seen on my daily walks. I have always enjoyed people watching, so my blog is peppered with folks I meet or reflections of characters I have known through the years. Often something piques my interest, or evokes a pleasant memory from my memory bank, so this becomes a “slice o’ life” blog post. I respect and appreciate nature and my interactions with Mother Nature’s gifts is also a common theme. Sometimes the most-ordinary items become fodder for points to ponder over and touch upon. I retired in March 2024 after a career in the legal field. I was a legal secretary for almost 45 years, primarily working in downtown Detroit, then working from my home. I graduated from Wayne State University with a degree in Mass Communications (print journalism) in 1978, though I’ve never worked in that field. I would like to think this blog is the writer in me finally emerging!! Walking and writing have met, shaken hands and the creative juices are flowing in Walkin’, Writin’, Wit & Whimsy. I hope you think so too. - Linda Schaub
Thanks TJ – I have a lilac tree but it is not out yet. Not even the leaves. Did I hear that northern parts of Michigan might have snow depending on the temps for that rain on Saturday? Unbelievable how this Spring has been so far!
I’ve never seen a Red Bud trees but heard of them. I just Googled to see what they looked like – I’ve seen them before, never knew what they were- just gorgeous! The Weeping Cherry trees are beautiful too and my neighbor had ornamental Pear trees, two of them and they were just stunning in Spring. The birds loved sitting in them all year long and they’d be singing on the coldest days of the days. We had a windstorm and one of them was diseased and it split in two – she had both of them taken down at one time.
Those flowers are so gorgeous! The weeping cherry tree…breathtaking 😻
Your favorite season is fall, mine is spring, hands down. Although I have to deal with lots of caterpillars, slugs and other fine earth creatures that love to eat my tomatoes, my lettuce, chards, etc. But it is in spring when I get to see the beauty of my hard-dedicated gardening/planting preparations in the winter.
The fall is awesome too. I love it because the calm is coming. Gardening work slows down and I can rest a bit more. Where you live, you probably have lots of wonderful trees in the fall to admire. 😊
Glad you liked the photos Martha. Not my usual type of post as only one tiny critter but I had to share the explosion of color. The first wave of color in Michigan is always so welcome and beautiful after a long Winter. On top of it, we have had a very cold and rainy Spring Martha – so the color is really appreciated. I once stopped and asked the homeowner at the house with the beautiful tree if he was a landscaper because his property is always perfect, no mulch out of place, never a wilted flower or bloom needing deadheading. He said he was a computer I.T. guy and he liked working in the garden as it was calming after his stressful days. He plants those cold-weather pansies, then replaces them with other annuals in a few months. I never had fruit or veggie gardens, but I used to have flower gardens and it is a lot of work, so I know what you’re saying. It seemed like a whirlwind until around 4th of July. I checked out my rosebushes this morning and they’re still very brown and brittle looking, so I hope they come back after our -45 windchill during the Polar Vortex! Fall in Michigan is spectacular, all jewel-toned leaves.
I’m worried about my rosebushes too Linda…..all brown still, with the odd green stem but not many…..I’ve never seen them so late. I hope I don’t lose them all like I did my lavender last year.
I did not even have green stems – I almost lost them to the first Polar Vortex and they looked very brown and brittle yesterday. My lilacs aren’t out either, not the leaves nor the buds.
I have buds on my lilacs, the two established bushes, and also the two new ones I got on sale last fall. But the rose stems are very dried out looking, and dead. I have 22 Knock out roses and will not be replacing them if they don’t survive.
I can’t “like” that at all. I revived mine after the first Polar Vortex but did not have that many – what a loss if you lose 22 Knock out roses – they are so beautiful and usually hardy. I don’t blame you for not replacing them. I did not do that when all the perennials and three butterfly bushes I lost in that first Polar Vortex. Nope. Not going to do that as our weather is too erratic now. Try doing what I did last time as it brought them back: cut to a foot high, and feed them Miracle-Gro and Rosetone. That was what the horticulturist on the radio advised. He has a website and you can listen to his podcasts at the link shown and he gives highlights of his shows so you can decide if you want to listen to them or not. He is on live on Saturdays and you can call in or e-mail him. I’ve called in a few times – once for slugs and the other times for roses. He is on WJR AM 760 Saturdays at 5 – you can live stream it from there too (www.wjr.com/) and the link to his page/podcasts is: http://www.wjr.com/thegardeningshow/
Thanks Linda. I usually cut them to a foot high when they start to turn green, after the risk of cold nights is over (which it isn’t with flurries in the forecast this weekend), and apply BoneMeal and a fertilizer for Roses, (well my gardener buy does that part). Hopefully they will come along okay, but if they don’t, they will be replaced by cheap Lavender, at $5 a pot! Knock Out roses may not be as hardy as they were promised to be, at least not in our zone. I know they had some kind of disease attack them in the southern US states a few years ago, but it never made it’s way north. Oh well, if I can’t do yardwork, I am working on kitchen cabinet research and not having good luck with that either!
I always thought they were a hardy species – I’m glad I never got them as I thought I’d get them a few years ago for color in the yard (this was before the first Polar Vortex and all the lost perennials and the butterfly bushes (essentially wiping out my butterfly garden). I bought a “Stairway to Heaven”climbing rose to make a memorial garden and never had a climbing rose before. Got it from Jackson & Perkins, had to order it from them and delivered by UPS. Got three of them and one of their umbrella trellises. It never was healthy … I have some nice up-close pictures of them when they were healthy, but I battled black spot all Summer and I spent a small fortune on anti-disease spray for them and you had to spray it every day as morning dew would cause it to drip off … I took away the memorial stone, ripped them out and the trellis as well, so it didn’t affect the other roses. I left the spit dormant a few years then planted “Twist-and-Shout” hydrangeas. They are okay and hardy so far – they turn colors according to the acidity in your soil – pink or blue/mauve. Mine are mauve. I forgot to check yesterday if they are alive. I have the “Home Run” roses, supposed to be hardy, but if we keep getting pummeled by Polar Vortex events, they won’t last much longer. Like I said, they barely recovered last time. Very frustrating. And neighbor put up a privacy fence so I don’t know if that will keep the brutal wind at bay or perhaps keep them from getting sunshine – time will tell.
I went out in the backyard this morning to look at the roses and I have a few lilies that survived the Polar Vortex five years ago. I saw nothing poking up out of the ground like this, the lilac tree leaves are still closed and no sign of life as to the roses. These little touches of color did brighten up the neighborhood though.
Yes, Spring is nice as you waited so long for it and I like walking out when the trees all come out, like a big green canopy stretched across the street, but we’re still not there yet here. In fact the northern suburbs could get snow flurries on Saturday night, while we’ll get rain. I like the Fall smells and decor, woolens.
Yes, I love turtlenecks and bulky fisherman knit sweaters … I like Fall until the first snowfall, which we had in mid-November last year, and then I whined I wanted to return to the Summer again. (Such a malcontent!)
A different post from you Linda. Thank you for sharing- feel that you did the post for me- because I was wanting to see colour – a different colour amidst the desert dust. Through your eyes, I can almost believe that I can see those wonderful beauties. I loved the shy pansies- are they wild too.
Dandelion- that is that small yellow weed flower, right ? I am cultivating dandelion here for the green leaves, which they say are very good to eat.
I love the daffodils too as I have never seen any in life. Are the tulips wild too ?
The bird announced that spring was coming.
I think you will have a quick Spring and a sudden jump into summer before you know it- that to me is sad.
i love spring and autumn too.
Susie
Yes it was different Susie. I thought I’d spotlight the flowers rather than the critters this time. Just had the one little bird – couldn’t resist! Do you follow Laurie at Meditations in Motion? (https://meditationsinmotion.wordpress.com/)
Well Laurie was taking pictures of flowers springing up around her neighborhood where she goes on runs with her husband or walks with their dog. So I told her I would do likewise, and especially wanted to get a pic of the Weeping Cherry and the Pansies beneath it. I like the Pansies too, but they are not wild – they are hardy and cold-weather plants. Some people put them out as early as March or you’ll see them in November, still blooming away. They come in a wide variety of colors. I like them too. The Dandelion is considered a weed now and people try to get rid of it. Years ago people coveted it though. Every part of a dandelion is edible and I’ve known people who put it in their salads and also make wine out of this plant. People say not to spray pesticide on Dandelions as the bees like them – they will use them, but prefer flowers. The Daffodils and Tulips are all bulbs and they are hardy too. My neighbor across the street planted hers decades ago, and she passed away in 2010 and they still bloom and have for decades. Now my father ordered some bulbs from Holland and the squirrels ate all the tulip bulbs – he found them around the yard all chewed up. I like the bright-yellow Daffodils best, but included the upside-down one up at the top. All of these flowers took a beating with the rain we had all day Friday and all day Saturday. Unbelievably we have rain starting on Friday … rain every day on the weekend and next week except Tuesday – horrible weather, just like last year. You are right, it will be a quick Spring, then the heat and humidity return. Autumn is beautiful – by then the weather settles down more.
Miss linda…………………………….beautiful spring pictures……………………………I enjoyed them all thank you for taking the time to take them and share with all of us who are followers of your blog
Your trees are farther along than ours. I’ve seen hyacinths and daffodils and that’s it. Even the buds on the trees are slow in coming, but certainly nothing blossoming yet. That azalea bush is lovely. I see the squirrels? dug up some of the bulbs in two of my clumps of tulips……they must be hungry…..it’s my fault for not feeding them I guess. Plus I have not seen a single dandelion anywhere. I love spring the best, April/May/June are my favourite months, esp. May. I like autumn but don’t like what comes after….this winter has seemed especially long and dreary as it started in mid-November.
I feel the same way about it Joni … we have a chance of snow Saturday night into Sunday morning – just the northern suburbs, but this is the tri-county area, not far up north. The weather is crazy and next week, every day but Tuesday we have rain. That is another thing – on Sunday they said a beautiful week this week and next week – they can’t predict anything anymore.
This weather is horrid … we have an inch of rain over the next 24 hours in my area. Part of Saturday will be nice, the rest rainy, then a slushy snow on grass only (but still). Rain every day next week but Tuesday for us too. Can you book to at least get into the queue Joni? They’ll be behind with all their customers, might as well get your place reserved.
My grasscutter does my yard cleanup, and he said he was coming next week sometime, but when remains the problem! It will get done eventually, but he also hauls all the patio furniture out of the shed for me, not that it’s patio sitting weather yet…..yes, we may get a few flurries on Sunday too!
This weather is so frustrating … raining like crazy now and will all day with gusty winds. Initially they said just snow in the northern burbs and mid-Michigan Saturday night, but as of this morning they have said my area will get some snow as well and also maybe into Tuesday morning. Yes, it will melt, but also annoying. And temps just about freezing … that won’t bode well for the buds on magnolias and the wind will blow away what blossoms are on flowering trees. Last night we had some rumbling and I decided to just shut down as not sure it would turn into a thunderstorm overnight. The walking regimen is not progressing well.
Thank you for sharing your “real” spring with us, Linda. I am still in Colorado, where the spring is very topsy turvy. Down in the valley, where my son lives (if you can consider 6800 feet “the valley”), there is no snow on the ground and the flowers are about 3 weeks behind where we live. On the mountain (at 10,000 feet), it is the dead of winter and snow covers the ground. These 2 areas are less than 1/2 mile apart!
That is amazing the disparity in weather conditions less than 1/2 mile apart Laurie. I’m glad you enjoyed “real” Spring here in SE Michigan. The trees are very behind here. I wanted to spotlight those pansies I mentioned to you a couple of weeks ago. I wish it had not been so shady and I think once they fill in a little, I’ll go back and re-photograph it. It appears Spring has sprung, but that said … the northern suburbs may have snow Saturday night into Sunday.
What nice weather you’re enjoying Laurie!! We have absolutely crummy weather today, a torrential rain (one inch in 24 hours) and now the snow will affect our area as well on Saturday and maybe a little more snow Monday into Tuesday. I signed up for two more 5Ks yesterday, albeit reluctantly. as I predict the weather will be like last Spring/early Summer – rainy and soggy. We had 9 weekends in a row of heavy rain in Spring 2018. I held off as long as I could, but wanted to get in before the cut-off for early bird registration (cheaper, guaranteed t-shirt size). That’s it for this year, three 5Ks as I don’t trust this weather and I’m not Rockefeller’s kin. I need to get out in the rain a few times now that I got the waterproof shoes before I feel comfortable walking in the rain … at least these were charitable events if I choose not to go.
Beautiful photos. I favor fall, too. The colors of that season that draw me into it. I’m less thrilled with pastels, but appreciate them for their springy joie de vivre. Now if we could just get on with summer, those colors make me the happiest.
Thank you Ally. The only redeeming thing about Spring here in Michigan are the early blooming flowers. I have always loved Fall but last Fall was a disappointment. We had a hard freeze the last part of September, snow in early November before I got the roses cut down and Spring has been gloomy and rainy with few really stellar days. It is pouring now and will rain daily until next weekend. Grrr. I am longing for Summer as well as this chilly Spring is for the birds. We have an inch of rain tonight/tomorrow and Saturday night a slushy snow mix. I think it will hit the northern ‘burbs but it will be cold enough to get it here as well.
You found lots of spring to photograph Linda! 🙂 Spring it my favorite season but I sure wish it would be more consistent. The 7 day weather forecast shows lots of rain and chances of snow and overnight temps getting below freezing again. I really need to weed the asparagus patch (weeds grow faster than plants) but it is too muddy to do so. It may even be too muddy to get in there to cut asparagus. Maybe this will be one of the times their forecast is WRONG. (I can still hope).
I was thrilled to see our first dandelions blossoming yesterday. They are one of the first things the bees have to forage in our area (beside maple trees) and once they blossom we usually figure we no longer have to worry about the bees having enough food. I am thankful that the fruit trees have not begun to blossom yet as the return of the cold weather could mean loss of entire crops if the trees were in blossom.
Like I told my husband this morning “it is what it is and we will deal with it the best we can.” I am still happy it’s spring.
Spring does bring these beautiful flowers, but this never-ending rainy weather leaves me shaking my head Ruth. I just read a comprehensive forecast from Paul Gross at Channel 4 and rain starting tonight and every day next week but Tuesday. Next weekend will be nice. Will all this rain (the one inch we’re getting in the next 24 hours) wash out any of your crops? Hopefully not, or leave them with “wet feet” and I can’t imagine your rural roads which you have almost given up on by now. I am glad Winter is over, and the snow they are predicting Saturday night, should melt the next day when it gets to 50 degrees.
My husband told me this morning when he went to the farm the intersection near our farm was completely underwater and our ditch was about to flood over our driveway. The county had just dug out the ditches last spring so the problem is just too much rain too quickly. It is not having enough time to drain.
I don’t know if or when I will be able to harvest asparagus because the patch is mud that I will sink in. Probably at least 6 inches of mud. Even if I wear my rubber boots the mud will suck the boots off my feet. The wet fields are not good for our garlic either. We can only wait and see what effects this weather will have on our crop.
Just amazing Ruth – perhaps this last rain scheduled for tonight won’t come so that would be a blessing. And hopefully the chilly air and possible snow won’t damage your tender asparagus and garlic. I will keep my fingers crossed you come out ahead in this growing season.
It does look like they took the rain out of tonight’s forecast. Now if we could have that happen a few more time this week. Thanks for the positive thoughts Linda. 🙂
Yes, I think no more rain, and earlier today, we were supposed to have thunderstorms. That didn’t happen either and that’s okay with me. You’re welcome Ruth – I know you put a lot of effort into your crops and are dependent on the weather.
I’m very happy that spring has finally taken hold in your neighborhood as well! My lilacs are about to bloom! It was cold and rainy, then we got a little sun and warm weather, and then everything seemed to just explode in color and bloom. I love spring! Your neighborhood flowers are beautiful!
Thanks Sabine, I’m glad you enjoyed them. Nothing is happening at my house yet – but we are getting an inch of rain (pouring now) through tomorrow at noon, so maybe it will cause those trees to burst open … I’ll worry about the magnolias and flowering trees as we have some slushy snow Saturday night.
I love spring and summer the most! 🙂 I planted some perennials today. I should have purchased some hyacinths, but it’s not too late. I also need to get more woodland phlox for our very shady (tree-laden) yard. 🙂
I do like the hyacinths and have never tried them Tom, but they sure do perk up the neighborhood. I haven’t seen any phlox this year and it is usually out by now. My father bought tulip bulbs years ago and planted them in the front gardens and found them all chewed up by the squirrels in the Spring. He was thatching and kept finding the chewed-up bulbs, getting angrier for each one he discovered. For the longest time, one tulip that the squirrels failed to find, would come up under a tree. The tree is gone now – we got carpenter ants and all the trees had to come down and that locust, though it wasn’t affected, was taken down as the arborist said it was a matter of time.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Your Spring is further along than ours. I did see a few crocus and a daffodil or two. Beautiful photos! 🙂
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Thanks TJ – I have a lilac tree but it is not out yet. Not even the leaves. Did I hear that northern parts of Michigan might have snow depending on the temps for that rain on Saturday? Unbelievable how this Spring has been so far!
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Yes. It reached 80 degrees on Monday and we could get snow this weekend. at least it melts quickly this time of year. 🙂
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That’s true – the weather is just so crazy these days. They didn’t pinpoint where the snow was but I figured you’d be part of it.
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It’s so nice to see such beautiful flowers. The entire front of my house is full of them as well.
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They are beautiful Diane – unfortunately none are mine. Yes, it took forever for Spring to get here – the tree buds are still tighly closed.
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My 3 Red Bud trees are almost open and the cherry tree and ornamental pear are in full bloom…gorgeous!
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I’ve never seen a Red Bud trees but heard of them. I just Googled to see what they looked like – I’ve seen them before, never knew what they were- just gorgeous! The Weeping Cherry trees are beautiful too and my neighbor had ornamental Pear trees, two of them and they were just stunning in Spring. The birds loved sitting in them all year long and they’d be singing on the coldest days of the days. We had a windstorm and one of them was diseased and it split in two – she had both of them taken down at one time.
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Those flowers are so gorgeous! The weeping cherry tree…breathtaking 😻
Your favorite season is fall, mine is spring, hands down. Although I have to deal with lots of caterpillars, slugs and other fine earth creatures that love to eat my tomatoes, my lettuce, chards, etc. But it is in spring when I get to see the beauty of my hard-dedicated gardening/planting preparations in the winter.
The fall is awesome too. I love it because the calm is coming. Gardening work slows down and I can rest a bit more. Where you live, you probably have lots of wonderful trees in the fall to admire. 😊
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Glad you liked the photos Martha. Not my usual type of post as only one tiny critter but I had to share the explosion of color. The first wave of color in Michigan is always so welcome and beautiful after a long Winter. On top of it, we have had a very cold and rainy Spring Martha – so the color is really appreciated. I once stopped and asked the homeowner at the house with the beautiful tree if he was a landscaper because his property is always perfect, no mulch out of place, never a wilted flower or bloom needing deadheading. He said he was a computer I.T. guy and he liked working in the garden as it was calming after his stressful days. He plants those cold-weather pansies, then replaces them with other annuals in a few months. I never had fruit or veggie gardens, but I used to have flower gardens and it is a lot of work, so I know what you’re saying. It seemed like a whirlwind until around 4th of July. I checked out my rosebushes this morning and they’re still very brown and brittle looking, so I hope they come back after our -45 windchill during the Polar Vortex! Fall in Michigan is spectacular, all jewel-toned leaves.
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I’m worried about my rosebushes too Linda…..all brown still, with the odd green stem but not many…..I’ve never seen them so late. I hope I don’t lose them all like I did my lavender last year.
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I did not even have green stems – I almost lost them to the first Polar Vortex and they looked very brown and brittle yesterday. My lilacs aren’t out either, not the leaves nor the buds.
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I have buds on my lilacs, the two established bushes, and also the two new ones I got on sale last fall. But the rose stems are very dried out looking, and dead. I have 22 Knock out roses and will not be replacing them if they don’t survive.
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I can’t “like” that at all. I revived mine after the first Polar Vortex but did not have that many – what a loss if you lose 22 Knock out roses – they are so beautiful and usually hardy. I don’t blame you for not replacing them. I did not do that when all the perennials and three butterfly bushes I lost in that first Polar Vortex. Nope. Not going to do that as our weather is too erratic now. Try doing what I did last time as it brought them back: cut to a foot high, and feed them Miracle-Gro and Rosetone. That was what the horticulturist on the radio advised. He has a website and you can listen to his podcasts at the link shown and he gives highlights of his shows so you can decide if you want to listen to them or not. He is on live on Saturdays and you can call in or e-mail him. I’ve called in a few times – once for slugs and the other times for roses. He is on WJR AM 760 Saturdays at 5 – you can live stream it from there too (www.wjr.com/) and the link to his page/podcasts is:
http://www.wjr.com/thegardeningshow/
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Thanks Linda. I usually cut them to a foot high when they start to turn green, after the risk of cold nights is over (which it isn’t with flurries in the forecast this weekend), and apply BoneMeal and a fertilizer for Roses, (well my gardener buy does that part). Hopefully they will come along okay, but if they don’t, they will be replaced by cheap Lavender, at $5 a pot! Knock Out roses may not be as hardy as they were promised to be, at least not in our zone. I know they had some kind of disease attack them in the southern US states a few years ago, but it never made it’s way north. Oh well, if I can’t do yardwork, I am working on kitchen cabinet research and not having good luck with that either!
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I always thought they were a hardy species – I’m glad I never got them as I thought I’d get them a few years ago for color in the yard (this was before the first Polar Vortex and all the lost perennials and the butterfly bushes (essentially wiping out my butterfly garden). I bought a “Stairway to Heaven”climbing rose to make a memorial garden and never had a climbing rose before. Got it from Jackson & Perkins, had to order it from them and delivered by UPS. Got three of them and one of their umbrella trellises. It never was healthy … I have some nice up-close pictures of them when they were healthy, but I battled black spot all Summer and I spent a small fortune on anti-disease spray for them and you had to spray it every day as morning dew would cause it to drip off … I took away the memorial stone, ripped them out and the trellis as well, so it didn’t affect the other roses. I left the spit dormant a few years then planted “Twist-and-Shout” hydrangeas. They are okay and hardy so far – they turn colors according to the acidity in your soil – pink or blue/mauve. Mine are mauve. I forgot to check yesterday if they are alive. I have the “Home Run” roses, supposed to be hardy, but if we keep getting pummeled by Polar Vortex events, they won’t last much longer. Like I said, they barely recovered last time. Very frustrating. And neighbor put up a privacy fence so I don’t know if that will keep the brutal wind at bay or perhaps keep them from getting sunshine – time will tell.
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Your spring has caught up to ours. I should go out and look at our hostas. I only got as far as counting the iris buds — 16 I think.
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I went out in the backyard this morning to look at the roses and I have a few lilies that survived the Polar Vortex five years ago. I saw nothing poking up out of the ground like this, the lilac tree leaves are still closed and no sign of life as to the roses. These little touches of color did brighten up the neighborhood though.
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Your flower photos were lovely.
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Thanks Anne – glad you liked them. We still have a way to go though.
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I love the flowers of Spring and hyacinths are my favorite, but I’d have to agree I think I like Fall better:)
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Yes, Spring is nice as you waited so long for it and I like walking out when the trees all come out, like a big green canopy stretched across the street, but we’re still not there yet here. In fact the northern suburbs could get snow flurries on Saturday night, while we’ll get rain. I like the Fall smells and decor, woolens.
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Oh no more snow! Those poor people!
I like the clothing options in fall better- I don’t look so odd in my sweaters as I do in spring
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Yes, I love turtlenecks and bulky fisherman knit sweaters … I like Fall until the first snowfall, which we had in mid-November last year, and then I whined I wanted to return to the Summer again. (Such a malcontent!)
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Lol none of us are ever happy with what we have
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This is true!
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So glad your spring has finally arrived! There’s nothing as beautiful as the lovely flowers of springtime.
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Thanks Rebecca – I thought it would never get here! The flowers are a welcome change from the drab landscape we’ve been seeing the past six months.
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A different post from you Linda. Thank you for sharing- feel that you did the post for me- because I was wanting to see colour – a different colour amidst the desert dust. Through your eyes, I can almost believe that I can see those wonderful beauties. I loved the shy pansies- are they wild too.
Dandelion- that is that small yellow weed flower, right ? I am cultivating dandelion here for the green leaves, which they say are very good to eat.
I love the daffodils too as I have never seen any in life. Are the tulips wild too ?
The bird announced that spring was coming.
I think you will have a quick Spring and a sudden jump into summer before you know it- that to me is sad.
i love spring and autumn too.
Susie
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Yes it was different Susie. I thought I’d spotlight the flowers rather than the critters this time. Just had the one little bird – couldn’t resist! Do you follow Laurie at Meditations in Motion? (https://meditationsinmotion.wordpress.com/)
Well Laurie was taking pictures of flowers springing up around her neighborhood where she goes on runs with her husband or walks with their dog. So I told her I would do likewise, and especially wanted to get a pic of the Weeping Cherry and the Pansies beneath it. I like the Pansies too, but they are not wild – they are hardy and cold-weather plants. Some people put them out as early as March or you’ll see them in November, still blooming away. They come in a wide variety of colors. I like them too. The Dandelion is considered a weed now and people try to get rid of it. Years ago people coveted it though. Every part of a dandelion is edible and I’ve known people who put it in their salads and also make wine out of this plant. People say not to spray pesticide on Dandelions as the bees like them – they will use them, but prefer flowers. The Daffodils and Tulips are all bulbs and they are hardy too. My neighbor across the street planted hers decades ago, and she passed away in 2010 and they still bloom and have for decades. Now my father ordered some bulbs from Holland and the squirrels ate all the tulip bulbs – he found them around the yard all chewed up. I like the bright-yellow Daffodils best, but included the upside-down one up at the top. All of these flowers took a beating with the rain we had all day Friday and all day Saturday. Unbelievably we have rain starting on Friday … rain every day on the weekend and next week except Tuesday – horrible weather, just like last year. You are right, it will be a quick Spring, then the heat and humidity return. Autumn is beautiful – by then the weather settles down more.
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Miss linda…………………………….beautiful spring pictures……………………………I enjoyed them all thank you for taking the time to take them and share with all of us who are followers of your blog
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Thanks Ann Marie – glad you liked them. I figured I’d spread this colorful joy around because we sure waited long enough to see it didn’t we?
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Your trees are farther along than ours. I’ve seen hyacinths and daffodils and that’s it. Even the buds on the trees are slow in coming, but certainly nothing blossoming yet. That azalea bush is lovely. I see the squirrels? dug up some of the bulbs in two of my clumps of tulips……they must be hungry…..it’s my fault for not feeding them I guess. Plus I have not seen a single dandelion anywhere. I love spring the best, April/May/June are my favourite months, esp. May. I like autumn but don’t like what comes after….this winter has seemed especially long and dreary as it started in mid-November.
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I feel the same way about it Joni … we have a chance of snow Saturday night into Sunday morning – just the northern suburbs, but this is the tri-county area, not far up north. The weather is crazy and next week, every day but Tuesday we have rain. That is another thing – on Sunday they said a beautiful week this week and next week – they can’t predict anything anymore.
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Yes, I checked the long range forecast as I want to schedule a yard cleanup, but it’s impossible as it keeps changing to rain!
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This weather is horrid … we have an inch of rain over the next 24 hours in my area. Part of Saturday will be nice, the rest rainy, then a slushy snow on grass only (but still). Rain every day next week but Tuesday for us too. Can you book to at least get into the queue Joni? They’ll be behind with all their customers, might as well get your place reserved.
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My grasscutter does my yard cleanup, and he said he was coming next week sometime, but when remains the problem! It will get done eventually, but he also hauls all the patio furniture out of the shed for me, not that it’s patio sitting weather yet…..yes, we may get a few flurries on Sunday too!
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This weather is so frustrating … raining like crazy now and will all day with gusty winds. Initially they said just snow in the northern burbs and mid-Michigan Saturday night, but as of this morning they have said my area will get some snow as well and also maybe into Tuesday morning. Yes, it will melt, but also annoying. And temps just about freezing … that won’t bode well for the buds on magnolias and the wind will blow away what blossoms are on flowering trees. Last night we had some rumbling and I decided to just shut down as not sure it would turn into a thunderstorm overnight. The walking regimen is not progressing well.
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Thank you for sharing your “real” spring with us, Linda. I am still in Colorado, where the spring is very topsy turvy. Down in the valley, where my son lives (if you can consider 6800 feet “the valley”), there is no snow on the ground and the flowers are about 3 weeks behind where we live. On the mountain (at 10,000 feet), it is the dead of winter and snow covers the ground. These 2 areas are less than 1/2 mile apart!
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That is amazing the disparity in weather conditions less than 1/2 mile apart Laurie. I’m glad you enjoyed “real” Spring here in SE Michigan. The trees are very behind here. I wanted to spotlight those pansies I mentioned to you a couple of weeks ago. I wish it had not been so shady and I think once they fill in a little, I’ll go back and re-photograph it. It appears Spring has sprung, but that said … the northern suburbs may have snow Saturday night into Sunday.
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Oh, no! So sorry to read about the snow!!! We went to a reservoir with a beach and my grandson actually waded in the water. It was that warm!
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What nice weather you’re enjoying Laurie!! We have absolutely crummy weather today, a torrential rain (one inch in 24 hours) and now the snow will affect our area as well on Saturday and maybe a little more snow Monday into Tuesday. I signed up for two more 5Ks yesterday, albeit reluctantly. as I predict the weather will be like last Spring/early Summer – rainy and soggy. We had 9 weekends in a row of heavy rain in Spring 2018. I held off as long as I could, but wanted to get in before the cut-off for early bird registration (cheaper, guaranteed t-shirt size). That’s it for this year, three 5Ks as I don’t trust this weather and I’m not Rockefeller’s kin. I need to get out in the rain a few times now that I got the waterproof shoes before I feel comfortable walking in the rain … at least these were charitable events if I choose not to go.
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Beautiful photos. I favor fall, too. The colors of that season that draw me into it. I’m less thrilled with pastels, but appreciate them for their springy joie de vivre. Now if we could just get on with summer, those colors make me the happiest.
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Thank you Ally. The only redeeming thing about Spring here in Michigan are the early blooming flowers. I have always loved Fall but last Fall was a disappointment. We had a hard freeze the last part of September, snow in early November before I got the roses cut down and Spring has been gloomy and rainy with few really stellar days. It is pouring now and will rain daily until next weekend. Grrr. I am longing for Summer as well as this chilly Spring is for the birds. We have an inch of rain tonight/tomorrow and Saturday night a slushy snow mix. I think it will hit the northern ‘burbs but it will be cold enough to get it here as well.
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You found lots of spring to photograph Linda! 🙂 Spring it my favorite season but I sure wish it would be more consistent. The 7 day weather forecast shows lots of rain and chances of snow and overnight temps getting below freezing again. I really need to weed the asparagus patch (weeds grow faster than plants) but it is too muddy to do so. It may even be too muddy to get in there to cut asparagus. Maybe this will be one of the times their forecast is WRONG. (I can still hope).
I was thrilled to see our first dandelions blossoming yesterday. They are one of the first things the bees have to forage in our area (beside maple trees) and once they blossom we usually figure we no longer have to worry about the bees having enough food. I am thankful that the fruit trees have not begun to blossom yet as the return of the cold weather could mean loss of entire crops if the trees were in blossom.
Like I told my husband this morning “it is what it is and we will deal with it the best we can.” I am still happy it’s spring.
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Spring does bring these beautiful flowers, but this never-ending rainy weather leaves me shaking my head Ruth. I just read a comprehensive forecast from Paul Gross at Channel 4 and rain starting tonight and every day next week but Tuesday. Next weekend will be nice. Will all this rain (the one inch we’re getting in the next 24 hours) wash out any of your crops? Hopefully not, or leave them with “wet feet” and I can’t imagine your rural roads which you have almost given up on by now. I am glad Winter is over, and the snow they are predicting Saturday night, should melt the next day when it gets to 50 degrees.
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My husband told me this morning when he went to the farm the intersection near our farm was completely underwater and our ditch was about to flood over our driveway. The county had just dug out the ditches last spring so the problem is just too much rain too quickly. It is not having enough time to drain.
I don’t know if or when I will be able to harvest asparagus because the patch is mud that I will sink in. Probably at least 6 inches of mud. Even if I wear my rubber boots the mud will suck the boots off my feet. The wet fields are not good for our garlic either. We can only wait and see what effects this weather will have on our crop.
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Just amazing Ruth – perhaps this last rain scheduled for tonight won’t come so that would be a blessing. And hopefully the chilly air and possible snow won’t damage your tender asparagus and garlic. I will keep my fingers crossed you come out ahead in this growing season.
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It does look like they took the rain out of tonight’s forecast. Now if we could have that happen a few more time this week. Thanks for the positive thoughts Linda. 🙂
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Yes, I think no more rain, and earlier today, we were supposed to have thunderstorms. That didn’t happen either and that’s okay with me. You’re welcome Ruth – I know you put a lot of effort into your crops and are dependent on the weather.
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Yay!! Thank you for sharing the spring sprouts!! 🙂
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I’m very happy that spring has finally taken hold in your neighborhood as well! My lilacs are about to bloom! It was cold and rainy, then we got a little sun and warm weather, and then everything seemed to just explode in color and bloom. I love spring! Your neighborhood flowers are beautiful!
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Thanks Sabine, I’m glad you enjoyed them. Nothing is happening at my house yet – but we are getting an inch of rain (pouring now) through tomorrow at noon, so maybe it will cause those trees to burst open … I’ll worry about the magnolias and flowering trees as we have some slushy snow Saturday night.
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I love spring and summer the most! 🙂 I planted some perennials today. I should have purchased some hyacinths, but it’s not too late. I also need to get more woodland phlox for our very shady (tree-laden) yard. 🙂
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I do like the hyacinths and have never tried them Tom, but they sure do perk up the neighborhood. I haven’t seen any phlox this year and it is usually out by now. My father bought tulip bulbs years ago and planted them in the front gardens and found them all chewed up by the squirrels in the Spring. He was thatching and kept finding the chewed-up bulbs, getting angrier for each one he discovered. For the longest time, one tulip that the squirrels failed to find, would come up under a tree. The tree is gone now – we got carpenter ants and all the trees had to come down and that locust, though it wasn’t affected, was taken down as the arborist said it was a matter of time.
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SO happy to see this post!!! Spring has definitely sprung in its entirety for you! Woohoo! Thanks for sharing these gorgeous blooms, Linda 🙂
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Glad you enjoyed them Mackenzie!
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