Nodding

It was a windy day and the Wild Columbine was difficult to capture close up as they swung their heads widely in the wind. But in this quiet place between two dunes this specimen was nodding off in the sun silently showing off it's festive hat shaped bloom.  

"Lazily She Lingered Cradling a Dream"

In the sleepy forest where the bluebells

Smouldered dimly through the night,

Dermuid saw the leaves like glad green waters

At daybreak flowing into light,

And exultant from his love upspringing

Strode with the sun upon the height.

Glittering on the hilltops

He saw the sunlit rain

Drift as around the spindle

A silver-threaded skein,

And the brown mist whitely breaking

Where arrowy torrents reached the plain.

A maddened moon

Leapt in his heart and whirled the crimson tide

Of his blood until it sang aloud of battle

Where the querns of dark death grind,

Till it sang and scorned in pride

Love—the froth-pale blossom of the boglands

That flutters on the waves of the wandering wind.

Flower-quiet in the rush-strewn sheiling

At the dawntime Grainne lay,

While beneath the birch-topped roof the sunlight

Groped upon its way

And stooped above her sleeping white body

With a wasp-yellow ray.

The hot breath of the day awoke her,

And wearied of its heat

She wandered out by the noisy elms

On the cool mossy peat,

Where the shadowed leaves like pecking linnets

Nodded around her feet.

She leaned and saw in the pale-grey waters,

By twisted hazel boughs,

Her lips like heavy drooping poppies

In a rich redness drowse,

Then swallow—lightly touched the ripples

Until her wet lips were

Burning as ripened rowan berries

Through the white winter air.

Lazily she lingered

Gazing so,

As the slender osiers

Where the waters flow,

As green twings of sally

Swaying to and fro.

Sleepy moths fluttered

In her dark eyes,

And her lips grew quieter

Than lullabies.

Swaying with the reedgrass

Over the stream

Lazily she lingered

Cradling a dream.

The Awakening of Dermuid by  Austin Clarke

Blooms and Blue

Nothing beats a bunch of spring blossoms against a brilliant blue spring sky, don't you think?

Trillium

I walked down alone Sunday after church

To the place where John has been cutting trees

To see for myself about the birch

He said I could have to bush my peas.

The sun in the new-cut narrow gap

Was hot enough for the first of May,

And stifling hot with the odor of sap

From stumps still bleeding their life away.

The frogs that were peeping a thousand shrill

Wherever the ground was low and wet,

The minute they heard my step went still

To watch me and see what I came to get.

Birch boughs enough piled everywhere!—

All fresh and sound from the recent axe.

Time someone came with cart and pair

And got them off the wild flower’s backs.

They might be good for garden things

To curl a little finger round,

The same as you seize cat’s-cradle strings,

And lift themselves up off the ground.

Small good to anything growing wild,

They were crooking many a trillium

That had budded before the boughs were piled

And since it was coming up had to come.

Robert Frost--- Pea Brush 

Green Overnight

Spring green---overnight the leaves appear simultaneously. This spring morning the forest is full of green for winter starved eyes.

A Bouquet for May

The trees are offering up their own flowers for May in the form of beautiful bouquets.

Finally.

Pantaloons in the Park

Growing in the shade of the trees, in a dry, but rich soil is the spring wildflower, Dicentra cucullaria, better known as Dutchman's Breeches, because the shape of the flowers look like old time pantaloons.

According to the Wiki article on this wildflower, this plant is sowed by ants that are attracted to the seed and bury it in their hills. These flowers can be found blooming in Indiana woods now, a bit later than they were blooming last year, when they were blooming on March 26.    

The Spring to Come

A picture from the archives---last year on March 21st the Magnolia was in full bloom. This year the tree isn't even thinking blossoms on March 29.

Have a wonderful Easter and hopefully Spring will come any day now.

Spring---back on schedule

Spring of 2012; this picture is from last year's March 25. Spring was way ahead of schedule last year and alarmingly so. This year's tree have hardly a bud on them---a good indication that we may not have the horrible apple harvest we had last year with the incredibly horrible prices we had. I would like to see spring come soon, but, unlike previous years, I'm really glad that spring is back on its old schedule. I'll wait patiently for the spring.

I'm Watching You

Some days conditions come together for perfect photography of dragonflies. Such was the day when I felt these eyes looking at me. There were hundreds of dragonflies, lazily enjoying a wonderful spring day shortly after the leaves came to the trees.

This wasn't the only dragonfly I captured that lovely spring day, but this was the only dragonfly that was paying much attention to me.

Monday Warm Up

This photo is from March 18, 2012---again, what a difference a year makes! After days of eighty degree temps in early March the wildflowers were way ahead of the times compared to this dreary, damp, and cold March of 2013.  

Robbins Bobbin

The Robbins were out in full force this morning---there were 3 times the amount in the picture along this one hill. Reminded me of a song Mom loved to sing:

When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob-Bob Bobbin' Along 

When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' along, along 

There'll be no more sobbin' when he starts throbbin' his old sweet song 

Wake up, wake up you sleepy head 

Get up, get out of your bed 

Cheer up, cheer up the sun is red 

Live, love, laugh and be happy 

What if I were blue, now I'm walking through, walking through the fields of flowers 

Rain may glisten but still I listen for hours and hours 

I'm just a kid again doing what I did again, singing a song 

When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' along 

When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' 

When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' along 

There'll be no more sobbin' when he starts throbbin' 

There'll be no more sobbin' when he starts a throbbin' his old sweet song 

Wake up, wake up you sleepy head 

Why don't you get up, get up, get out of bed, cheer up 

Live, love, laugh and be happy 

What if I were blue, now I'm walking through fields of flowers 

Rain may glisten but still I listen for hours and hours 

I'm just a kid again, doing what I did again, singing a song 

When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' 

When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' along 

Along, along, along, along, along.

Harry Woods 

The Joyful Sounds of Spring

There is  no more joyful a sound than the woods in March as the birds return! A couple of weeks ago it was the bluebirds getting to know each other.

This morning the woods were full of chatter as if all the birds were giving reports of the winter experienced down south.

This bird has a bit of nesting material in his beak and was courting a number of likely prospects for a nest mate.    

What a Difference a Year Makes!

Here's a warm up from March 17, 2012 when spring came early.

This year there is nearly a foot of new snow on the ground, and no matter how fast it melts the daffodils will not be showing their heads by March 17, 2013!

Watercolor

Taken through a dense fog, this picture reminds me of a watercolor painting.

The Greening

Who needs flowers when bright, dewy leaves are unfolding this morning?

Forest Path

None of that white stuff---this March has been green, very green.

This path through Coffee Creek Park shows spring well on its way this March.

Spring Song

A chorus of Spring Peepers greeted me yesterday during a walk at Sunset Hill Farm County Park. It was the first song of the year of any note.

The frogs are singing to find a sweetheart and are difficult to see before dark but can be heard just about anywhere in this region of Indiana.

Looking for a Home

Another hint that spring is near---a goose couple shopping for a place to raise a family. My guess is that these early birds will need little encouragement to set up housekeeping in one of the nesting boxes that the DNR has set up in the marsh.

Next time I get a chance to hike through, I hope to see her up in the box sitting on some eggs---maybe even sharing with another egg sitting female, while the ever attendant and loyal males swim below.

Spring is in the Air

February, 51F, and trees decorated in red buds---hints of spring were all over yesterday during a hike in the marsh. And the birds!

But more about the birds in days to come...