Looking Up

The weather here has been a real rollercoaster of late. For two weeks in a row we've gone from comparatively warm days (complete with birdsong, nestbuilding, flyovers by geese and blackbirds, and even a robin-sighting), to heavy snowstorms (some with bonus ice!), to rain. Rinse and repeat. I rejoice at the snow, marvel at the birds, and am unenthusiastic about the rain as it turns everything to muddy slush, but there's no doubt that spring is putting out tentative feelers, testing winter's strength, and teasing us all with hints of an early thaw.

Today is of the grey-and-rainy variety, but yesterday was gloriously blue-skied and sunny - perfect for an afternoon walk. Clouds and contrails made a dramatic backdrop to the trees and fields:

A half-moon floated above bare branches:

In the intervals of looking up, I couldn't help snapping photos of dried wildflowers (the ruling passion). These looked like little brown mop heads:

Goldenrod stood guard along the trail:

And horsemint on a snowy bank:

Above the flowers, a hawk wheeled and swooped:

At one corner of the field, a venerable chestnut bore fuzzy buds:

On the far opposite corner, another hawk (or perhaps the same one?) alighted on a telephone pole:

Overhead were more contrails, like giant lacy scribbles across the sky:

Time to turn westward, where the sinking sun was caught in the branches of a favorite oak:

Then home to an early supper and an evening of crochet.

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How is your weather? Any surprise snow lately?

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