Silver Linings

In between rain showers this evening, the clouds parted a bit and the sun made a brief appearance. The clouds looked like they were on fire. It was beautiful.

Museum Butterfly Garden

We did not do any of the extra shows or special exhibits at the museum, except the Butterfly Garden. Nothing seemed nicer to me on a cold February day than spending time in a warm, humid room full of lovely plants and butterflies.

Bugs in the Yard

Here are a few recent visitors to our yard.

walking stick

lots of butterflies
This one is a bit strange. It is a female wolf spider. She carries her babies on her back until their first molt. We fished this one out of the pool. We often find all sorts of interesting bugs in our pool and each day before we swim, we make sure to do a quick sweep of the surface.

Back Yard Science

While swimming at the brook, Gabe caught a small sucker fish. It was only about 6 inches long and he brought it home. It did not survive long in the bucket and Bessie asked if she could dissect it.

We are a very science and nature kind of family and this sort of spontaneous science stuff is always encouraged. Now, how many 15 year old year girls do you know that would choose to cut open a fish...just for fun?!

All eyes as Bessie explains the fish body parts

Spring Arrivals

Our last two spring visitors have arrived. Each year we eagerly await the arrival of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak and the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds. I spotted both of them this week. I think these are the last of our summer birds.

The male grosbeak is so beautiful and has a wonderful song. I have heard it referred to as a robin who as has had singing lessons.

I snapped this picture out our kitchen window. Apologizes on the graininess, our windows are 160+ years old and quite wavy. (And probably a bit dirty also.)

I have not been able to catch the busy hummingbirds yet. I'll need to post myself for a bit to snap a shot of them.

Now I feel like spring is really here.

Salamander

We often see these Red-backed Salamanders in our woods. Isn't he cute?

A Few New Flowers

This is a new tulip in my garden. I bought these from the youth group at church and had no idea what they were going to look like. I think I like it. It looks very much like a small Peony blossom and it has a nice light fragrance.

While the kids and I were wandering in the woods looking for building materials for their fairy houses, I came across these Trout Lilies. I hadn't noticed them the other day. I'm not positive, but I'm assuming they got their common name from the spotted leaves that are similar to the spots on a trout.

Fairy Houses

Fairy Houses by Barry Kane

I found this book while browsing the "new" section at our library. It is full of pictures of "Fairy Houses". According to the book, Fairy Houses were started in a group of islands off the coast of Maine many years ago. Families would make these cute little dwellings for the fairies. I thought how fun to try this!

I sent the kids on the hunt for good natural material around the yard and woods, set them each up with a spot of their own and they made fairy houses. They put themselves into the task and seemed quite interested in the idea. It was a fun activity for all os us. I might try and build one myself in my garden.

I took the following photos as soon as the kids said they were done, but I noticed throughout the afternoon that they kept going back, adding, redoing and changing their designs. I will have to check again in a few days and see what they have come up with.

Bessie's creation

Gabe's Rachel's Hannah's Dan's

In the Garden

Spring continues to advance...signs are everywhere.

The male Goldfinches are bright yellow again. We get nice size flocks that stay all year round.

This lovely Hyacinth opened up today. The scent is very strong and lovely.

I need to get some mulch this week and start laying it down. We have had a few weeks with no rain and even though there is plenty of moisture around from the snow melt, the garden seems dry already.

Another Lovely Spring Day

This week is spring break in our neck of the woods. We rarely follow the school year calendar, but we decided to take a day off today. It was another lovely day outside and it has been so wonderful to enjoy the sun and fresh air.

We made a library run to two of our local libraries. Our librarians are so wonderful and they seem genuinely pleased to see the kids. One of the ladies said we were their best customers. I do think we help keep their book census up. I know we would not be able do our schooling as frugally without such a great local library system.

Two shots from the woods behind our house

Our chickens have become so tame. They follow Bessie around the yard waiting for a handout of stale bread or corn.

Yowzer the cat enjoying the sun
Our neighbor plowed the field across the road today. I love watching the tractor move up and down the field tilling up the rich brown earth. Our Guinea fowl roamed the field for hours after he was done, pecking at all the worms and bugs the tractor stirred up. Some years he plants corn and other years he plants a silage mix. We will have to wait until planting day to see which will go in this year.

Brian finished up the raking around the house after he got home. We have three separate areas of our yard. In the landscaping world, they call these separate areas "rooms". The room between the house, garage and pool, is sort of my part of the yard. This is where all my flower gardens are and this is also where we have cookouts and relax when we have company over. I am pretty firm about not letting the kids ride their bikes here as it makes paths on the lawn. (Aren't I terrible!?) The side to the east of the garage is the kids room. This is a larger area and is great for riding bikes, playing ball, using the tramp and swingset. Behind the pool is where we have the vegetable garden. The chicken coop, shed and other misc. stuff (aka woodpile, brush pile and assorted bits of junk) is also back there. I am always glad when "my room" gets raked off and cleaned up. I can start working on my gardens in earnest now. Brian and I have lots of ideas for new features and added gardens this year.

A Walk in the Woods

What a joy it is to be feeling spring again. Our winters sure are long and dreary, but they make spring so scrumptious. We revel in the warmth of the sun, the melting of the snow, the drying of the mud and the rebirth of nature.

Thursday we had a play date with some of our best friends. We were able to be outside most of the visit. We took a hike along a wood road behind their home. The views were beautiful and there were signs of spring here and there.

Gabe wanted me to take a picture of this vine growing

up the tree. It was very fuzzy and looked like a big caterpillar.

Across the reservoir and in one of the small valleys is our home. We couldn't see our house from here, but I could locate the general area.

As you can see the trees are still waiting for some more warmer weather. Before we know it they will be greening up and exploding with freshness (and pollen for all the allergy sufferers).

Happy hikers (Jonathan gets to ride)
We found several vernal pools and some frog eggs. Gabe and Ben each wanted to bring them home, so we took a small clump and slit it for the boys. The eggs do not look like Peeper eggs, so we will see what ends up hatching out.

The Many Formations of Ice

During our walk this afternoon, I took the following pictures of the interesting ice patterns along the way.

Garden Visitor

This little guy visits our yard every few days. He is a white "Gray" squirrel. He is not a true albino as his eyes are brown and not pink, but he sure is pretty.

This time of year he is quite camouflaged against the snow, but he sure stands out in the summer against the green.

A Bat in the House

We have a very old house, ca. 1840s. Every once in a while, we get a bat in the house. It doesn't happen too often, but it does happen.

This morning as Dan and I headed into the downstairs bathroom, I noticed something on the floor. When it moved I have to admit to letting out a little start! It was a bat. I closed the door and gathered up my bat catching tools.

Poor little guy clinging to the wall in our bathroom

I used Gabe's bug net and a piece of cardboard. I gently put the net flush with the wall over the bat and slid the cardboard between him and the wall.

Safely in the net, I brought him outside. He seemed quite startled by the bright sunshine and took a few low wide circles before flying off, looking fine.

I'm sure he was just as glad to be out of the house as we were to have him outside.

My trapping technique

Bringing him outside