At Home: Books, Birds, Buddies and Grandboys!

I'm having a hard time getting my brain around the season. It's almost June and summer will be here before we know it and yet spring seems oddly erratic -- cold or rainy one day (or two or three), then a short burst of warm, and back to cold. Stormier than usual. The sun was out today and we tried to plant flowers at the cemetery but so many trees were down, we couldn't get to the grave. That's a story for another day. On a cheerier note, things have greened-up a lot! I'm sure you all delight when you have the chance after winter to see what is my favorite color combo come to life -- chartreuse against a blue sky! And now, there is more green!

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Still catching up on pre-storm activities and there were some good times. One such day was celebrating friend Kate's birthday with a road trip to IKEA and a stop at my favorite Italian grocery in Livonia/Northville for lunch.

At Home: Cyclists, Lizzie and Springtime at the Ditch

The trees are past their peak, and by the as I post this, storm damage is being cleaned up and our world is  covered in beautiful, deep green foliage. I've already seen new goose families. But I'm taking a look back as I catch up on "real life."

A couple weeks before the storm, Rick and his buddy Nino took off for a tandem bike hike into Ohio -- about 350 miles of riding on (mostly) lovely (albeit windy) spring days. 

A Quiet Week with Flowers, Birds and Paint!

It has been a quiet week here. Rick is up north opening the cottage and he's had a great week for it. I've been weeding the so-called garden and being admonished by my physical therapist for doing so! It's not looking good (gardening is SO not my thing!) but I'm hoping to have a small strawberry crop (enough for cereal, not shortcake) -- if the birds don't get it first!

A Fruitless Search and The Goslings Swim!

I'll start with a pretty photo! One of my favorite blooms, the allium is short lived but so fabulous while it lasts! 

Rick and I joined the many others in the world trying to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights last week. I had visions of taking marvelously splashy photos of pinks, purples and greens in the dark night sky. I would do watercolors of them all. Ah, the stuff dreams are made of. 

Mother Goose has Hatched -- And Other News

Here's some fun news for Mother's Day! Spring has kicked in "for real" these days. On Friday, I got a double whammy of it when I first visited the nursery center and later saw a "nursery" of a different kind -- that of our friend Mother Goose!

And guess what! There aren't four babies. And, as some of you thought, there aren't five.

Springtime at the Ditch

Every time I visit the Ditch, the trees are greener and more filled out and there are more lily pads on the water. A few of the flowering trees remain, but not, I think, much longer.

Mother Goose is still sitting and still being carefully guarded.

A Few Kinds of Critters!

The Memorial Day weekend and the time leading up to it brought a couple of species of critters into our lives. First, it's time for new life down at the Ditch. When I saw a marvelous photo by our neighborhood nature photographer, I knew I'd better get down there before all the babies grew up! And I wasn't disappointed!

Mother Goose

The goslings have arrived and the nests all appear empty at the Ditch. Mother Goose is tending her babies!

And, it should be noted, the Father Goose is right at hand, ready to spit or advance on anyone that might be a threat!

A Walk in the Hood

Within the past two weeks we have jumped 45 degrees in temperature! From covering the newly purchased and planted plants at night to requiring sunscreen for a walk, it is -- in many ways -- a typical Michigan spring. That is, a day or two of sunny and 70, then 88 and sticky! It also means there is a good deal of action at the ditch, not the least of which was the buzzing of Harry by a red-winged blackbird!

 

Blooming and Beautiful

Earlier this season I took you on a blog walk through Michigan State's Beal Gardens. This is an outdoor botanical garden with a variety of areas -- poison plants, edibles, herbs, and loads of grasses, flowers and what some might call weeds. The university considers it an "outdoor laboratory for the study and appreciation of plants," designed for students in the agricultural/horticultural fields. But it is equally, if not more, popular among the general community.

 

Fluffy Yellow Things and Other Outdoors Sights

The goslings have arrived! I've yet to see the number I suspect are there (and they are keeping pretty far from shore, so I'm glad for zoom!) but they have popped.

And learning to swim!

Checking In on the Ditch Goslings

Time for a little bit of fluff! And a walk down to the Ditch!

I took these a week or so ago. I suspect by now, my goslings are more dark than light, fluffy yellow!

Things are greening up well -- even more so than in this photo by now.

There were some beautiful birds. I never seem to get a good photo of the Red-winged blackbird but this one actually seemed to pose and the lighting was perfect!

The grackle was quite handsome, too, with the sun reflecting off his wings.

Well, here are Jim and Suzanne with their brood. (How do I know? Four babies, instead of seven!)

I first saw them on one side of the pond, chowing down.

I love how Mom sticks close!

I continued my walk, spotting a beautiful robin...

...and this little fellow, who seemed like he was just stopping for a chat!

When I got around to the other side of the pond, the geese had moved over there and were swimming near the rocks.

It seemed like a good time to get out of the water, so up we go, rock climbing!

Who knows what you'll find?

I look forward to my next visit but I'll miss seeing them as fluff balls as they grow into young adults.

Like Toddlers.

A Mother's Day Walk

I haven't been out much. Well, if you count "out of the neighborhood," I haven't been out at all. So when Rick came in on Mother's Day with the car and said "Let's go for a walk," that meant the walk could be anywhere! We chose the campus of Michigan State University.

Normally it would be packed with students and their parents this weekend, as kids would be preparing to graduate. During our rather long walk we saw all of a dozen people.

It was bliss. Divine, safe bliss.

We started our walk going down beside the Red Cedar River where we saw our first goose family. It wouldn't be the last.

We ended up at Beal Botainical gardens. MSU has wonderful gardens. In the Horticultural Gardens you'll find some gorgeous blooms but at Beal, you'll see interesting and unusual plants and even weeds!

Many things had yet to bud and bloom but I learned that these sweet flowers are cowslips.

And I loved these!

The trillium were in full bloom!

And there were both interesting and informative plaques...

...and unique features, such as these decorative plaques on the stairs leading out of the sunken garden.

We had some company during our walk in the garden. These two followed us around for a bit!

The tulips were out and looking good.

These matched my coat!

We left the gardens and continued our campus walk, noting some beautiful lilacs, the first I've seen to begin blooming.

Beaumont Tower, with its bells that chime every fifteen minutes, is a campus landmark. We did see one student here, having her photo taken by the door. In retrospect, I should have said if she stood back much farther from the tower so she was in the foreground, her photo would have both her and the tower featured, rather than the rather boring door.

Most of the flowering trees were on the way out, but a few were still looking pretty glorious!

We ventured into East Lansing. This area is one of the busiest intersections in this college town. Not today!

Moving on, we went back to campus, passing by a couple of lovely red bud trees.

And then, crossing through, we were back at the river. There were five families of geese on the riverbank -- and at least 25 goslings!

The parent geese were remarkably undisturbed by our passing so close. They neither shooed their babies away or honked at us.

These birds are used to people! And darned cute.

Our day out was really one of the nicest I've had in months. True, the weather wasn't great, but it didn't start to sprinkle until we reached the car.

A day to remember.

Odds and Ends of Life!

Some days it really feels as though spring is here. To which I say, "about time!" It was one rough winter, between terrible cold and Rick's leg, and then the rainiest spring I can remember. But the world is waking up. This is the view I see when I look out at my neighbor's yard.

And this, my bird feeder and house -- last year a wren took up residence. I hope she returns!

The good news is that Rick was freed from the dreaded "boot" at last! His appointment showed the break had healed and now he's to take it easy as he gets back into regular walking life.

Yeah. Well, he's putting more than his allotted weight on it (which the doc said was up to him, so I suppose it's all right) and he's beginning to be a bit more like himself. Soon, the bike! Not soon enough for Rick.

I've been cleaning and tossing. And of course you come across all sorts of things. This is what takes awhile. Bundling clothing or household is fast. Going through papers and photos is not. Can you find me? This is second grade.

I took this pic a few weeks ago -- by now I probably wouldn't recognize these fellows!  They are getting their grown-up colors!

And I loved this photo -- it was like a few guys hanging out at the neighborhood pub, checking out the world!

I was witness to a first-class hissy fit when Lizzie "met" an interloper -- Aretha! (That's what I call her, because she's asking for Respect!) Lizzie was having none of it as they glared and hissed through the door!

Mail call has been nice lately! My long-awaited set of Susan Branch mugs arrived!

Perfect for all beverages, hot or cold!

My friend Joan sent a wonderful package of a new mystery series which I'll write more about later in a book post. And when Wren went to Paris to the Atelier des Lumiere (I wrote about it here), she sent me this wonderful "lampshade" from the Van Gogh installation. She said it reminded her of Cork Poppers as it fits over a wine glass with a tealight inside. I love it!

And of course, more to come. Yes, some art time and some time at the theatre. Lots to share -- I just have to get off the stick and get the posts written! But oh, I'll miss these pretty blossoms!

Meanwhile, I leave you with two of my favorite living, breathing beings in the world.

Hmm. Wonder what's up?

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