fresh greens

Fresh greens, and lots of them!

I've been going out in the early morning, after chores, to photograph the greens.

Don't you love watching the new growth on trees?
The buds and flowers and foliage?

The initial fragility of the leaves and needles that will be relied upon to support the tree never fails to amaze me.

Every year, it amazes me.

Here in New England, there are shapes, colors and textures that appear for only a very short time each year - weeks, or even days.

Would you like to see some?

I winnowed down from about 80 images, because you may have other things to do besides looking at pictures of leaves.
And needles.

But do you have time for just seven?

White Birch (Betula papyrifera)

Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)

North American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)

White Ash (Fraxinus americana)

 Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)

Black birch (Betula nigra)

 Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

~~~

Ahhhhhh.  Isn't that a breath of cool morning air, after chores?
~~~

Coming soon: 
goat updates (and names to be chosen!)
a handy (yet unlikely) kitchen tip
and a special yarny giveaway!

~~~~~

not-so-wildflowers

It wasn't exactly a "New Year's Resolution," but this year I have been making an effort to have a few fresh flowers in the house at all times.

An occasional trip to the local florist shop has provided colorful carnations and aromatic hyacinths:

But now the flowers are homegrown.

And glorious!

For many years I did not like to cut flowers, especially as the survival rate for my plantings is very low.  (It's a combination of poor soils, low light, and my not-green-at-all thumb.)

Then I realized something.  The hardy survivors, these scattered clumps of healthy, flowering plants are usually seen - at most - once daily.

In fact, there have been years when the short-lived blooms had already come and gone before I thought to look for them!

Argh.

But this Spring, when I cut flowers and bring them into the house, they are seen and truly appreciated.

Dozens of times.

Every day.

Seems like a good idea!

~~~

I wonder how many of my other routines could do with a re-think.

Hmmm.

How about you?  Are there any routine things you have begun to do in a different way, and found it to be a wonderful improvement?  I'd love to hear about it!

~~~~~

wordless wednesday

this golden april day

This last day of April is bright with the deepest of yellows!

The little rivulet below is bordered by a scattering of Caltha palustris, known here as "marsh marigold" but actually a member of the buttercup family.  It is startlingly bright against the still-brown forest floor: 

Also blooming today: forsythia, or what I now happily think of as "yellow bells," thanks to my blog-friend Tipper of Blind Pig and The Acorn, a wonderful site devoted to all things Appalachia.

Although I am New England born and bred and have traveled through only parts of the lovely and vast Appalachian region of the eastern US, the comments and conversations on Blind Pig always make me feel like I'm sitting at the kitchen table with a group of neighbors.

As you can see, the maples behind the yellow bells have not leafed out yet.  But they are blooming...so it won't be long now!

~~~~~

Sanguinaria canadensis

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

To me, this wildflower truly marks a turning point.

Yes, we may get more snow.

Yes, I was still burning wood around the clock until two days ago.

(And I considered lighting a fire last night. And the night before.)

But in my mind, there is no turning back now.

As of Wednesday, when the first bloodroot appeared

like magic - as it always does -

it is Spring.

~~~~~