More Spring

Irises, growing beneath the window on the side of one of the old buildings on my ancestral farm.

Bleeding Heart, growing through an old foundation.

Isn't it amazing that these foundations and the building have stood here over a hundred years? Through Vermont winters? I love the endurance of this place. 

Do you think the people who made all this had any idea?

In the Pool

Eighty degrees (air, not water) and I was in this weekend. For the record, I was in Lake Champlain, as well. Yes, it was cold. No, I didn't care. I NEED to swim, I need water, and I feel like I'm waking up from winter hibernation at last.

The cats are happy, too.

International Migratory Bird Day

Tomorrow, May 19th, is International Migratory Bird Day!

Celebrate by visiting your local Audubon Center, or if you can't, then go outside for a walk wherever you are, find a bird, and take a moment to appreciate it. They're wonderful, they're beautiful, and some of them fly thousands of miles every year.

Maybe they're why I like dragons so much.

Swimming Pool!

Most people pick a warm, sunny weekend to open their pools. We decided to start it Sunday afternoon, ran out of time, found out we had a broken valve-thingy, and I dumped a whole bunch of dead leaves in by accident when we were pulling off the cover. All this means that we've been opening the pool in the evenings after dark all week, one stage at a time. But at least I got a cool photo of the pool by night! Since this is when I do most of my swimming anyway, this looks very natural to me

Finally, it's up and running, and the temps are supposed to be in the seventies (air, not water) this weekend. I am so going swimming! Can't wait!

Vermont Spring

I'm very excited. My first hummingbird (male, Ruby Throated) arrived last night just before it got dark. I felt most upset because I didn't have my feeders up yet. Usually I have plenty of warning when they're approaching because I follow a birding e-list where people all over the state write about what they're currently seeing, and usually I can track the hummingbirds as they move north. But this little guy must have flown straight to me from South America, proving that he'd been here before by landing on the bracket where I hang the feeder and looking in at me reproachfully. So I dashed around, and within half an hour, he had food. He's been coming all day today. More males will start arriving soon, and in a week or so, the females will arrive. May 4th sets a record arrival. They usually arrive between the 6th and the 10th. Now I'm waiting for the orioles and thrushes, and then the whole gang will be here.

An Eastern Bluebird below has been checking out my boxes, but I don't know yet if this will be a lucky year.

For those people who aren't lucky enough to live in Vermont in the spring...

A Red Trillium

Eastern Bluebird

My waterfall

Ferns

Two ferns unfurl

Whispering of summer sun

Finally!

It's school vacation next week, and thank goodness, because I was ready to explode. I feel for folks who have real jobs, though I'll be reminded of that when I get half a paycheck next time around. But for now, all is good.

I am going to wrestle Another Healing into shape this week... and go to my daughter's senior recital, her honors convocation, and a concert she and my husband are both playing in, and take lots of photos, and enjoy spring birding with friends, and bake a million cookies for the reception I'm supposed to be putting on after the senior recital, and maybe do some fun reading, and sit on my patio doing absolutely nothing!

Yesterday was Gay Awareness Day at my school, and this is the ribbon I proudly wore.

End the bullying!