thanks backwoods, it was not meant that way, auto correct on this tablet is driving me nutz, or it could be my fat fingers too ! Happy Easter to all honest apologies if someone was offended. it's snowing here so we won't see buds for a few weeks
You may be right on distance. I am 150 miles south of Chicago in the area that is zone 5/6 transition on the AG charts. From Chicago to the southern tip is close to 350 miles.
The ice is still in the lake, but the bottom end of Murphy's Bay must be open because the loons came back yesterday morning. Nothing compares to the calls of the loons. So sad to know they are endangered. The robins and jays are back, the owls are calling very actively. I saw the raven the other day. Pileateds and red headed woodpeckers, phoebes and nuthatches and black capped chicadees. Think I heard a horned owl. Other birds calling that I cannot see, and , unfortunately, can not identify from their calls. The woods are blanketed in white, pink, blue and purple hepatica. Today the Dutchman's breeches and squirrel corn are in bloom. Leaves of the trout lily are up. Buds on the daffodils, and the lycoris straps are tall. Many crocus in bloom, including in the woods this year! Not sure I like that, but they look pretty. Iris are growing rapidly. Saw my first mushroom of the year, a smaller cupped one with a brilliant red top. I have to get out my guides tonight. Not sure what it is. It's about an inch across. Broad, elm tree shaped base (vase shaped). Freezing last night, high today to be at 5 PM, 57. Brilliant sunny day, but it is supposed to rain tonight. Apparently we need rain, which I believe because we didn't have nearly as much snowfall by weight as normal, and the carpenter ants and mosquitoes are not bad at all. My soil is still quite moist.
Open air fire bans are all over the place Sherwood and that North wind yesterday sure was kicking up a lot of dust and got rid of a lot of leaves in the yard.
the ice went out in the culvert and the lilac buds are starting to swell, it might be spring hooray!! we are dry like loon, this means mud season not bad yet, next 7 day weather forecast has raindrops everyday..
Birds are going crazy this morning. The barred owls decided to start hooting about 3 AM, right outside my window......it was a long night.
This is possibly my favorite time of year! I love watching my woods come back to life - I take a hike around every day just to enjoy it. I'm pretty sure I have a nesting pair of golden eagles living back there, but I haven't managed to get a pic yet.
Nice to see a young guy who appreciates all things coming back to life in the spring Shawn Curry ... always thought it was just us ole fellas who looked forward to those things... ...
That's great Shawn. We have them here fishing around Christmas every year now, right off my beach, until that last bit of lake freezes, then they go to the locks for the winter: Rideau Ferry and, I believe, Jones falls, but it may be Chaffey's. Haven't seen them at the locks, just been told. I just have one pair here, with a young one this year, but I am told there are 6 or 7 at the locks. Frightened a golden Eagle out of a tree one Spring, while it was migrating through. Only time I've ever seen one. It was right over my head, and it's wingspan was greater than the road I was on. That was exciting, but not as exciting as the first time I saw a bald eagle in the wild. Didn't ever expect to see that in my life. Like your garden, Shawn. Just had my Delicious apple tree sprayed - first time ever - and I am wondering if the snowdrops, daffodils and giant snowdrops under it are going to survive. By the way. the lake is still frozen.....
After a rainy night and overcast sunrise, the sun poked it's head through the clouds about an hour ago, and sparkled off the ripples on the lake....the ice is out. There was a slow melt this year, no monumental break up. Probably minimized shoreline damage. I was told yesterday that a culvert on Route 10 between Westport and Perth is out, near Pike Lake, and between Pike spawning and high water levels which wash away any gravel attempts to fix the road, it will likely be a month before the road is repaired. Thirty years ago I ordered 3 Lycoris bulbs at about $8 each. The Magic Lily is only supposed to be hardy to Zone 7, but it does just fine in Zone 5. Those bulbs have multiplied so many times that not only I but also my sister and a neighbor have run out of places to plant them,. So, last Autumn I planted a handful to the left of my sliding glass door, in an exposed Northeastern location. While all the other lycoris have strapping leaves over a foot high at this point, those show no signs of life. I am thinking they may have been in too cold a spot, especially given out brutal winter, with some really cold weather when we had absolutely no snow over. I haven't given up yet, but am not hopeful.
