Saying Good-bye to Irises

It is iris time in the gardens.

This is my last Spring at this house and so the last time I will be seeing all of these in bloom.

They are putting on quite a farewell display for me.

Linking to Through My Lens

You Know It's Spring When ...

... the frogs congregate in the pond and croak their hearts out to attract the females.

As I prepare this house for sale I realize I need to celebrate the last things I will experience on this property.  

Last night it was an owl call.  I may hear it again, but if I don't it was the last one to be heard while laying in bed falling asleep.

Yesterday while I was pruning, I realized my stewardship of this land is coming to an end.  It was the last time to prune the hibiscus, the hydrangeas, and the Joe Pye weed.

Here they are as they looked last year.  Yesterday they were just sticks,

 

And as the frogs are croaking, its the last spring I will hear them do that from this pond.

Let me share with you the sound and sight.

Well, that didn't work so here's some photos instead.

And this little fellow decided the shortest way to where he was going was through the screen porch.  I watched him try to get through the screen in vain.  Later he appeared inside the screen so he must have found a way in at one of the bases of the beams.  I had to shoo him out with a broom.  He was headed away from the pond.

Joining Saturdays Critters

A Tale of Two Tails

So I can't tell much difference between one deer and the next except by size and if there are antlers involved.

Yesterday I was watching these two deers eat their way along the grass down the hill from my vegetable garden. 

 I was wondering if they would even attempt to reach the green leaves of the English laurel.  Last year they devoured those leaves and I almost lost the bushes.  This year I put up deer fencing around the four bushes and have kept the deer out as evidenced by these two that worked their way around the fencing. (The laurel is not visible in these photos but the green stake on the left side of the photo above is holding up one corner of the deer fencing.)  

As I watched I noticed the tails of these two. They were different. 

 Is this unusual to have one pointed and one squared off? 

 Now when I see a deer on the property again I'll have to take a closer look at the tail.

As a postscript I captured this lone robin on the fence of the vegetable garden.  Most of the winter the robins I've seen have been traveling in flocks.  Maybe this solo one is a harbinger of spring?

Joining Saturday Critters

WW - Store Bought Spring

Tuesday's Treasures #7

Today's treasure is of a very different sort than previous posts.

The treasure here is the return each spring of blossoms appearing from bulbs planted in years past.

These crocus appeared in bloom in the Perennial Garden outside my bedroom window.

I was totally surprised because there had been no hint of green or buds before Monday.  Then in the warmth of the day they appeared.

The pond too brought out a surprise on Monday.  Above it barely looks like its out of winter let alone time for spring.  But the creatures knew otherwise and the chorus started on Monday afternoon for a very short while.

I spotted the lone singer.

Treasures of a different sort, yet valued each spring.

Linking to Tuesday Treasures.

Signs of Spring 2016

I took a walk to the bottom of the driveway on Thursday morning.  

There are signs that Spring is coming!

Down at the bottom of the driveway the snow is melting more slowly but green is appearing where daffodils are pushing up.

The wetlands doesn't get much sun but the snow is retreating there.

Looking from the bottom of the driveway across the wetlands the driveway going up the hill is clear of snow.

The moss and grass are greening.

The ferns stand out in contrast to the drab brown of the earth.

Something is there along the edge of the creek.

First signs of the skunk cabbage.

Here's the same creek looking east as it enters the wetlands.

The woods are filled with young beech trees.  

These trees hold their old leaves until the new ones start appearing.

When the pale beige beech leaves start floating through the air, spring will be here.