downy soft

These are the downy feathers of our sandhill cranes.They’ve been preening. Mom and dad have been taking turn on the egg(s). Steve I anxiously await to see if they will have two colts this year or one.

sandhill crane downy feathers

everyone wants a pulpit

I have been slowly clearing our three acres of the obnoxiously invasive buckthorn. And every time I clear a few yards of woods, one of the first woodland plants to move in are the jack-in-the-pulpits. I have hundreds of them, maybe more. They are the last of the woodland ephemerals. This one, was only about 8 inches high when I photographed him. In a week or two or so he will be 18 inches high. Sometimes, if the rain is plentiful and consistent, I have seem them get 2 feet tall. I love their upswept arms–so joyous–they have a special place in my heart.

jack-in-the-pulpit flower with bulb and roots exposed

red or magenta?

Redbud trees are a little bit of novelty here in the north. They have not always been hardy here, but they are now. Even the magenta color of the buds is a little out of place in the North. We don’t have much of what I would call “tropical colors” among our native species. Which makes really stand out. I can’t decide if that is a good thing or not.

Eastern redbud blossoms (Cercis canadensis)

weird and wonderful

I believe these emergent fern fronds will turn into lady ferns. Lady ferns are a beautiful and elegant fern–and these fronds are anything but. That is why I like them so much.

emergent young lady ferns fronds

10 days later

Remember the wild grave vine I posted a about 10 days ago with the tight leaf buds? This is same vine today–baby grapes and all!

Today is my daughter Eva’s 28th birthday! Happy Birthday Evie, I love you to the moon and back!