Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Windy and Rainy and Cold

At least it's not snowing. (That's what we keep telling ourselves.)

Sunday was so very windy and rainy that a bike ride was out of the question. Thus it was that our intrepid blogger set out on foot, woolly hat on head and camera in pocket, to make sure that Spring hadn't changed her mind and left the area.

Singing blackbirds graced cattails and phone wires beside (and above) the marsh-around-the-corner....




A vine at the start of the trail shows promising signs of life:


An old outbuilding which stood here for decades has collapsed over the winter, taking several trees down with it:


But one of them, a box elder, still blooms valiantly (though horizontally):


Silhouette of a blossoming tree against the cloudy sky:


Up the trail, to where the Favourite Tree's outlines are softened by twiggy growth:


Turn left and cross the field, then right again to what I have mentally named the Badger Path:


Why Badger Path? A short way down this trail is a very hummocky bit of ground, where the following badger-sized openings may be observed within a 15-foot radius:


Front door, side door, back door, cellar door? Only the badger knows. (If there is a badger, that is. Some large, tunnelling animal certainly lives here.)

More signs of spring: new growth...


...and robins:


Around the corner to the prairie restoration project, where curly-leaved grasses are streaming sideways in the wind:


Speaking of grass: what a thrill, after months of winter, to see new green life springing up out of last year's dead clumps. (It helps that I don't have to mow it.) :)


Suddenly the sky darkens, and large drops begin to fall. Time to make tracks for home.


As I pass the marsh, thunder growls in the distance, but still the blackbirds sing.

One last photo, of the tree on the corner - a huge old poplar (I think) which sports some rather gorgeous crimson catkins:


Then home, where it feels awfully good to be out of the rain and wind.

At least it's not snowing! :)

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23 comments:

  1. We got a crazy amount of rain tonight (along with lightning and thunder). Summer is already here even IF the calendar DOES say spring.

    Beautiful photos. Isn't it amazing how resilient some plants are. After the hurricanes of 2004, there were trees down along the river and within a few weeks new plants were growing among the upturned roots.

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  2. What beautiful pictures...I felt as though I was exploring right along with you! I wonder if a badger really does live down there! How exciting it would have been if he popped his little nose out to say "hello!" :)

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  3. Progress, and at least there isn't snow! Thanks for posting, Sue :)

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  4. However some sings of spring are there... at least some :) You know you are really ,lucky it is now snwogin, because it actually snowed two days ago at my native place (North Kazakhstan)... end of April and my parents are patiently waiting when they can start their dacha season...
    I like your photos... I'd also like to be there, have a walk and then have some hot tea from thermos and yummy sandwiches :)hehe

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  5. Such lovely pics, Sue, and I especially love the one of the vine, beautiful colours and new life unfolding - it MUST be spring, just a minor setback, but not so far back as to bring snow again - surely? Keep warm and dry, Joy x

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  6. There are signs that spring has only taken a break. It will be back soon! At least that what I am saying to myself. I'm wearing winter sweaters again to stay warm and cosy. :-)

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  7. A lovely peek at what Spring is doing in your neck of the woods Sue........love the colourful catkins making a bold statement......

    Claire x

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  8. Always lovely pictures! It's always so nice when you take us along on your adventures. :)

    Wishing you sunshine and perfectly blue skies....

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  9. Oh dear. At least it's not snowing - what a shame to be consoling yourself with that thought at the end of April. Hopefully may will really warm up. Juliex

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  10. Beautiful pictures as usual. The trees here are finally starting to to get tiny leaves. It is cold and gray and icky today. Hope the storms are over.

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  11. That first picture is absolutely stunning. Hope you get better weather soon. We're getting hit by storms this morning, hoping the worst of it passes us by.

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  12. What a neat little badger hidey-hole!

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  13. Lots of things growing there now. I love the little badger hole, how funny.

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  14. Brrrr, looks very cold and wintry yet. I like the curly grass. Hope it warms up for you soon...

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  15. A lovely walk, spring is definitely in the air, even if the weather isn't wonderful quite yet!

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  16. Cold and windy it may be, but it still looks beautiful! I love the muted colours.

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  17. very grey and rainy here in Chicago. At least the grass is green and the buds are starting on the trees. :)

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  18. Looks like you got a bit of finicky spring like we did, and for that, I'm sorry. But you sure did make wonderful pictures of it! Made me smile, too, because you don't have to mow the grass. :)

    We got graupel overnight, but snow was forecast. Got some photos this morning. This followed yet another round of 60-mph winds. Thank heavens the bloomed flowers are still standing tall!

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  19. Great pictures, Sue. I have always wondered but have never asked, what kind of tree is your favorite tree?

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    1. Sorry for this late reply - if you mean the Favourite Tree above, I think it's an oak. If you mean what is my favourite species of tree, I don't quite know. I seem to like them all! :)

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  20. Ah such divine pictures - such robins! Yours are bigger and braver by the looks of things. It's so lovely to have a few minutes to visit here. A good good place x

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  21. You make it look so beautiful even if it is cold and retched out. Hugs to you Sue and hope it warms up soon,
    Meredith

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  22. The same mass of cold, wet, cloudy and stormy weather visited us today in Western Pennsylvania.
    And birds were still singing and daddy robin was tirelessly guarding "his" pine tree behind our yard.
    :)

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