Spring- or Summer...

It is currently 90* outside- yes on the 6th April.  No, that is not normal, but then neither is it atypical for Virginia, where our spring weather is a roller coaster of up-and-down temperatures.  The weather forecast is for 64* on Friday, so you can see the change!

The only problem with prolongued periods of warm weather in spring, is that the pollen count goes WAY up, and then the family starts coughing and sneezing until the offending tree (our white pines) stop production.
We do have some GOOD things though... for instance, the 'helicopter' seed of the red maple is a lot of fun...

These were sitting in my kitchen, courtesy of one of the kids!

Then there are the spring flowers... amazingly beautiful and stunning in colour.  From violets (above) to peach blossoms (below)...

There are the trifoliate orange blossoms...

And my pea seedlings...

And then there is the garden itself... its prettiest time of year!

Signs of Spring Outdoor Hour

I was excited when I saw Barb's challenge last week was 'Signs of Spring'. Because- well because we'd been watching them ourselves!! Somewhere in the house, the kids have journalled their signs of spring.
Unfortunately I think they might have had their work appropriated for display!

First sign of spring in our garden (apart from weeds) is always my sorrel:
It has a tart lemony flavour, and one day I will find a recipe that is great to use it for LOL One of my first plants of the year is my first edible too :)

The hyacinths were next to appear. This is a bulb which has been in the garden a few years- which is why it doesn't look as full as normal ones. Typically hyacinths do this. Still smells good though!

Speedwell and it's cultivated cousin, this particular Veronica sp. are frequently the first bloomers in the garden. I like the colours of the cultivated one better- the flower near the top on the right is in front of one of the wild ones, so you can see the contrast :)

I have never planted daffodils- we transplanted these from some wild ones growing down our hill. I love them for what they mean- it's spring!!

If you look back in my files, you'll see other photos of our Vinca major from years past... it always blooms early :)
The Bradford pear blossoms are beautiful- but they really don't smell very nice! Still, they look good on camera ;)

My kids HAD to have some strawberry plants. I think they are hoping for a crop- well they'll definitely get a couple of berries if nothing else :)
The best part about the first few days of spring, is that it finally gets warm enough to sit outside and draw.

And I actually have things to draw!! You can see I have actually drawn some of the things I photographed :)
I can tell you now, we also have grape hyacinths and a few peach blossoms. Photos to come later!!


P.S. Yes, there is a new look to the blog, I am still working on it though, so it might well change :)
Blogger has allowed new template adjustments, so I am messing with them ;)

Cowbirds

Cowbirds
Originally uploaded by Spinneretta

With the arrival of warmer weather, we took the opportunity to put our solar powered fountain back out. This has always been a huge draw for the birds, and sure enough we were inundated with them.
Even when I am outdoors, sitting at the patio table, the birds will happily come and drink from the fountain just a few feet away from me!
So while in the garden one day, I decide to draw the fountain and any birds that visited.
Of course THAT day, the kids stayed near me and no birds would visit while they wriggled around, so I drew the pair of brown-headed cowbirds that had visited the day before :)

I can't say that cowbirds are my favourite bird, they are notorious for their bad behavior- they are the cuckoos of North America!! The females lay their eggs in other birds nests, usually at the expense of the other bird's own offspring!

Moon Pillar

Moon Pillar
Originally uploaded by Spinneretta

The other day, we were out and about after the full moon had risen. It was a beautiful moon- but most astonishingly, it had a shaft of light above and below it- rather than the usual corona.
I asked my weather expert (yes he is 10, but he is really into this LOL) and he tells me it is called a "Moon Pillar".
I was not able to draw it on site or take photos (we were never stopped in a place where it was visible :( ), but I had my memory- and I used it (and my watercolour pencils) to record it when I got home :)

First Signs of Spring

The weekend just gone by, was finally warm enough to get some yard work done. Usually we've been able to do this work during January- on the one or two warm weekends then, or earlier in February. This year it was almost March, and I was beginning to despair of ever being able to get the garden beds ready in time. I am still not sure they will be ready, but it wont be because *I* didn't try!
I took the opportunity the following day, to record my hard work with some new watercolour pencils. I am not absolutely familiar with them yet, but I shall enjoy learning to use them ;)

First I drew the garden beds I had so lovingly prepared. They are 4' by 4' square beds. Eventually I hope to have a taller and thinner frame so I can nail my grids to them, because yes, I am planning on another square foot garden :)
The beds were originally 4' by 4' squares, then I merged them into two long beds. Now I have taken them back to 4' x 4' squares because I just liked them that way, and my husband said it was a more useful shape :) We'll see!
That right hand square on the lower right is one I am planning to use for salad stuff- it gets shady in the summer allowing me to keep the produce going longer.

I have yet to make the back bed into the two 4' by 4' squares. I am hoping to get to that this coming weekend :)

March begins a very vibrant time of year in the Virginia garden. We can already see hyacinths, daffodils, crocuses and irises popping up- and in a few weeks they will be blooming. Right now, the maple trees are the main thing blooming. You can see a haze of red buds surrounding the limbs of the trees- and one might be able to imagine them to be like cherry blossom. They aren't of course, but in a way they are just as beautiful. For when you see them, you know spring is not too far behind!

The birds are beginning to pair up, and birdsong has been very familiar in the garden the last few days. In fact, I heard one particular bird that sounded a whole lot like my daughter- screaming! I have yet to see whether it is a natural call of a jay or something, or a mockingbird, mocking a certain someone who screams a little too often...

Paper Bark Birch

Yesterday the weather finally warmed up- it was the warmest day we'd seen since January 28th- which was warmer :o None the less, it FELT warm after days of temperatures in the 40's and lower!
So we all went outside to wash the car (all that salt and snow dirt) and I had hoped to do some gardening, but parts of the garden beds I wanted to clear were still covered in snow.


Instead I settled in the front garden and drew a picture of our paperbark birch. A friendly mockingbird stopped by for a short visit and I draw him in ;)

The bark on this tree peels off, and was once popular with European Hornets, although we have not seen them for the last couple of years. I think I blogged about them before :)

Red Winged Blackbird

Red Winged Blackbird
Originally uploaded by Spinneretta

I had to get some more photos of birds recently- so many of my others were not quite good enough- the bird was not in a good position or there was snow in the way... so yesterday, when this fellow appeared, I grabbed my camera and got a few good shots.
He has not got his summer plumage yet- his 'epaulette' is still kind of yellowy, with just a flash of red at the top.
Since it was warmer, he is not as puffed up as my other birds, and his glossy plumage was certainly challenging to capture :)
A mockingbird and some starlings accompanied him on the feeder- although I like the mockingbird, I was not too thrilled with the others (or the squirrel that seems to think I have provided him with a free lunch).
I am definitely looking forward to some spring!!

Pine Warbler

Anniversary Pine Warbler
Originally uploaded by Spinneretta

This is not a certain identification of the bird by any means- but this bird and the previous one are new visitors to our feeder. This one actually comes every winter, and was initially mistaken for a goldfinch because of it's bright yellow colouration.
we eventually figured out that it was not a goldfinch changing it's feathers, but something else- and it was at the suggestion of someone else that I think it is a warbler. I keep mis-calling it a 'siskin' but checking it in my book it most definitely is NOT!

Bluebird

Bluebird
Originally uploaded by Spinneretta

It's that time of year again- the bluebirds are house hunting!
Two males visited our feeder this week- and were unable to get the food in our 'squirrel proof' feeders. I was upset- the place we bought the feeder from had assured me that the bluebirds would fit. Not so people!!
So I adjusted the feeder a little, and in the meantime got a number of photos of the birds- allowing me to draw them :)

We have had quite a bit of snow this winter- which means my bird photos have been quite good- I'll be back later to share some :)

Nature Journalling...

You know, sometimes I forget to update this blog, even though I am still recording nature in so many ways :) So I thought that I'd use this opportunity to show off some nature pictures, and some new resources I ran across :)

These little frogs are all over our garden- I think this one was a tree frog- we found it on an old stump and it's feet looked like tree frog feet :) I know next to nothing about North American Amphibians though...

it's windfall time of year here- raspberries are out for the second shot and pawpaws are falling from the tree- WITHOUT being pushed by squirrels!! They are actually delicious! I recommend growing them (two or more) in your garden :)

These caterpillars are mildly poisonous- the side spines sting like mad! I have a photo of him too ;)
There you go- he is only about an inch long, and he is eating a persimmon leaf. Apparently they like orchard fruits :)

I should really learn to make jam with these- there are so many!


and I actually got a number of these this year too :)

Now for some new resources:
An excellent nature notebook resource, the Nature Sketchers blog is a great addition to the Flickr group. I highly recommend checking out the individual artists on there too- most have their own blogs.
In fact, Elizabeth Smith just started her own nature art blog, and it looks to be a fantastic place to find a nature journal :)

Baby Opossum

We found a baby Opossum in our garden yesterday- I shared the story over on my main blog if you are interested (with photos ;))

The Story of Pinky Part I
The Story of Pinky Part II

Nature Notes 19th March

Signs of Spring in my Garden
Orginally uploaded by Spinneretta
Click to enlarge picture

I have been doing numerous nature journal entries, which you can see over on my Main Blog. I thought you might like to see it her :D
This is today's offering- signs of spring in my garden :)

In the Garden again

After a hot start to the month, the weather cooled a little and was merely 10 degrees F too hot, rather than 25 or so!
I am still waiting for my tomatoes to ripen (it will be soon!!), and watching those pomegranates. They look promising, but at least one has been pulled off by the unknown fruit bandit.

There are pawpaws high up in a tree... I am still hoping to get those! I should draw them for posterity though...

And a fig on my new fig tree... amazing because I had not expected it! I DID draw that when I found it!

We got some potatoes this last weekend... delightful because I harvested them, added them to the ones I got at the market last Saturday and sauteed them with a little Olive oil and butter, lightly seasoning with Mrs. Dash.

The birds have been visiting the feeders... and the new fountain we got.
They treat it like a birdbath, which is good because that is what I wanted! It has such a nice soothing sound!

We caught sight of a bald cardinal at the feeder the other day. I suspect it is in the middle of a summer moult... cardinals seem brightest in the winter, and I often see them looking kind of threadbare in the summer!
My beebalm just bloomed, and I have hopes that the hummingbirds will come for a visit! I'll let you know when they do... and when the tomatoes are in ;)

Springtime Happenings...

at our house. These are springtime views from our garden and just across the road!
First... seeds. They are sprouting!!

Lettuce seedlings...

and pea seedlings.
Our flowers look good too! M'Lady investigates the Veronica sp.


We saw our first butterfly of the year today.

It was investigating these beautiful, but stinky Bradford Pear blossoms.

This Magnolia virginiana is infinitely more appealing in it's scent.

The Irises are sprouting too... reminding us of the 'green spikes' Mary finds in the Secret Garden.

While the peach blossoms are out, and enlivening the garden with their beauty.

Wild flowers, like this Henbit, abound.

It, and it's cousin the Purple Deadnettle are loved by our kids. They call them Gobbaloon flowers. A name Rebel gave them many years ago!

and where you find Purple Deadnettle, you find Pennsylvania Bittercress. It has a rosette of leaves at the base.

This inedible Indian Strawberry is a native to our garden. It hides away in shady spots.

Dandelions are propagated by our children playing with the Dandelion clocks! This one sports the first bee we saw this year. Rebel later spotted a bumblebee... also the first of the year.

But not all nature study is about flowers! Rebel is digging a 'mine'. A hole at the bottom of our hill, where he tells me he is being a 'geologist'. :)

Inside the house, an experiment lingers. Three days ago, we spread cress seeds across a damp napkin. Already today we have LEAVES. We hope to eat an egg and cress sandwich in a week ;)

I hope you have enjoyed this round of spring at our house... until next time... from Sunny central Virginia!

Green Hour Assignment III

Spring has Sprung! And Barb from over at the Heart of Harmony, has another Green Hour Assignment for us! This time it is journalling the walk we took. Not something the kids had much trouble with... in fact I did not even need to prompt Rebel, who grabbed up the pencils and set too with a will! (click on pictures for a larger one to see ;))

Two days in a row of wonderful weather… yesterday we sat outside for a few hours. Well I sat. The kids played ;) They worked together on an Easter garden for this year.

The kids build an Easter garden

And the finished monument, without the decoration (that will come a little later!).

The Easter Tomb completed, but undecorated.

They examined the daffodils in our flower beds (not yet in bloom)…

Daffodils in the garden

And the lobelia (a cultivated speedwell, a lot darker than it’s wild cousin that grows abundantly in our yard!)…

Lobelia, a Veronica spp.

And generally just played!

Taking advantage of the fact that our weather is nice and warm today, we headed outside at the first opportunity, and repeated the walk we had done last week in the rain!

Getting the kids to be silent was hard… well impossible in fact, but they did learn that when you are quiet you hear things that you would not otherwise ;)

Daffodils on the walk

Spring has sprung in our neck of the woods, the happily chirping birds and the blooming flowers paid testament to that fact!

Blooming Forsythia

Once home, Rebel worked very hard on a wonderful page inspired by the daffodils we saw (and also partly inspired by the Wordsworth poem I recited for them ;)) ...

Rebel's "Golden Daffodils" (note one is REAL gold ;)) Notice also the hats rolling at the tops of the picture :)

...while M’Lady drew a plan of our trip!

A plan or map of the walk, including the "cutter cutting limbs on a tree", the kids running back to the house and a "colourful" M'Lady!

The trip ended in hilarity as the wind blew M’Lady’s hat off, then as we chased it rolling down the road, it blew mine off and Rebel caught it!

An, as yet, unidentified flowering tree.

Back at the house, I suggested we pick some Henbit, which we are now pressing between the pages of a rather large dictionary :) In a few weeks, we might use those for another nature themed treat ;)