Thursday, March 30, 2017

A Second Look--March 30, 2017

Spring is definitely here with cold nights and warmer days. Never say never, but I think we're done with snow for the season. Trees are starting to bloom around the area along with crocus and daffodils. However, my yard seems to be slow in these things. I have several daffodil leaves up in my yard with no sign of blooms yet and my cherry tree is bare while they are blooming all around me. I don't know what it all means.

What I do know is that most of the bushes and trees were overgrown and in need of trimming--especially the fruit trees. We had that done earlier this week. It was amazing to watch the men work as they scurried up the trees with a chainsaw where they stood on swaying limbs as they topped and thinned branches. But also, it was scary to watch as they remained in the trees sawing away when it started to rain really hard with thunder and lightning.  I guess all's well, that ends well because no one got hurt and the job was done well.

We've seen a lot of birds this week. However, getting pictures of them remains elusive. The way things are set up now, they all scatter as I approach the window with my camera. But they still provided entertainment for the cats and the rest of us.

Here are a few things I saw this week
during a Second Look.

Violets are popping up everywhere. While I love violets, I also know from experience that they can totally take over. I've been trying to clean some of them out of the flower beds.


While trimming some of the deadwood off of this azalea, I found a bird's nest. It's probably a sparrows nest, but possibly a wren's nest. 


There is one daffodil left blooming under the massive pine tree.


This is one of the smaller pear trees that got thinned. It's also the first tree in the yard to bloom.


In the foreground, you see one of our apple trees that was also pruned.
Behind it, you see the neighbor's cherry tree in full bloom.


There are a few grape hyacinths here and there along the sidewalk that are budding.


It's a little late, but we put up two birdhouses this week including this one from my book club friends. Sometimes it takes a year or more for birds to find new houses,
but I'm hoping we see some activity this season.



We have forsythia along our back fence that survived the hard freezes
 and continued to bloom this week.


I saw a Carolina wren on the deck. They haven't been common visitors so far.




8 comments:

  1. That cherry tree is breathtaking! How lucky you are to be able to gaze at it all the time! And I'm envious of your fruit trees. I hope they all bloom for you soon and that the birds get used to you being out there. Soon it'll be warm enough that you can sit in the yard and just wait to come. I did that for most of my day today and it was glorious!

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    1. Luckily, the neighbor has a cherry tree in bloom in the front yard, also. Cherry trees are in bloom everywhere here including at the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC. All of the trees in bloom there are a sight to behold. We went one year to see them, but have not gone again because of the hassle it takes to get there.

      Most of the cherry trees blooming now are ornamental. I'm hoping the reason mine hasn't bloomed is that it will produce fruit and is on a different schedule.

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  2. I looks wonderful! Thanks for sharing the photos.

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    1. There are definitely some good bones to this yard, just like there are for our house. Now we just have to give them some TLC and make them our own.

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  3. Your corner of the world is greening up more quickly than mine. I'm a little jealous! We are leaving today to see my in-laws in Illinois--I'm hoping they have more budding/blooming plants than we do. I agree with Nathalie--the cherry blossoms are so pretty!

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    Replies
    1. Well, I'm a lot further south than you are so we usually are ahead of you weather-wise. Except, for the early crocuses you have. Hope you have a good visit with your in-laws and see more signs of spring.

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  4. Your new property looks beautiful. My cherry is in bloom, but wouldn't you know, it blooms one day, the next, yesterday, we have a terrible windstorm, destroying many of the blossoms. I hope there are bees out there today.

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    Replies
    1. More of the fruit trees are starting to bloom but we had a freeze last night and expect another one tonight. I don't know how people farm for a living since they are always at the mercy of the weather.

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What do you think?