Spring Sings

" If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. "

~ Anne Bradstreet

A redwinged blackbird fluffs his wings and chirrs in the silver maple.

A male house sparrow sings in the same tree.

Mr. and Mrs. House Sparrow go house hunting.

The bright red buds of the silver maple open.

Last week brought glorious sunshine, warmer temperatures

and bees to the diminutive snowdrop blooms.

This week brought snow on Wednesday morning...

....and bright sunshine in the afternoon.

"First a howling blizzard woke us,

then the rain came down to soak us,

and now before the eye can focus...

Crocus!"

~ Lilja Rogers

(it wasn't actually a howling blizzard, just a dusting, and the soaking rain came the day before the snow).

The purples by the house were warmer...

...and the snow melted away from them quickly, but I didn't catch them open that afternoon. I hoped to catch them today but the wind was bitter and the sun didn't warm the air enough to entice those little blooms to open.

I hope the warm sunshine returns soon

to open those pretty petals.

 

They're with us so briefly

and we've waited so long.

We love to see those lovely yellow stamens when the blooms are not tightly wrapped around them. 

One lonely little bright yellow Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) has appeared from seeds given to me by my friend, Liz last summer. It would've been lovely to have them all make seedlings but I'm happy just to have one.

Speaking of yellow, the male goldfinches are beginning to don their summer finery and chickadees are even more friendly lately.

Grackles are back with the redwings and cowbirds.

The cats are loving the sunshine!
Cleo gives herself a morning bath....

 

...then dozes, soaking up the warm rays.
(this was last week before Old Man Winter crept back for a rematch). 

I call this photo "Enthusiasm".

Inside the house this small piece of cactus, which broke off the main plant, has been living in a glass of water for months, but that didn't stop it from blooming.

(I can't throw pieces of plants away. Someone will want that! Now I must plant the poor thing in some dirt).

"The sun streams through the window pane

My heart begins to sing,

A certain stirring in the air and suddenly it's Spring!"

~Kathleen Gillum

Ready to sing now?

"What a day for a daydream

what a day for a daydreamin' boy

And I'm lost in a daydream

dreamin' bout my bundle of joy

And even if time ain't really on my side

it's one of those days for takin' a walk outside.

I'm blowin' the day to take a walk in the sun

and fall on my face on somebody's new-mowed lawn."

~ Lovin' Spoonful