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Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Spring, Off and On

 
Well, spring is like that, right? Here, then hidden in some cold place, then back again. At the moment we're waiting for back again.

Sunday, I went down to the river. It was a lot like winter there. This is my little "private" backwater.

Pere Marquette River

If I turn around and look toward the banks, I call this Hemlock Cove. Very gray and brown yet.

Pere Marquette River

What I was hoping for was to find the skunk cabbage up, and I did find a few. But they are mostly still hidden in last year's leaves. This one was handsome, showing off its spadix.

skunk cabbage

Monday, I went for a four-mile walk, and it was warm and sunny. I could have worn shorts! The red-osier dogwood is brightening up in preparation for leaves, and it fairly glowed. I left a piece of road in the picture for the contrast.

red osier dogwood

I also saw a mourning cloak butterfly, usually the very first to appear in spring.

mourning cloak butterfly

I've seen and heard other things that I couldn't capture in pixels. The meadowlarks and red-winged blackbirds are back. Yesterday, two sandhill cranes flew over, rattling their way across the sky.

Last night it rained and turned chilly again. Not brutal, at least, but cold enough that today I wanted my wind pants and parka on. I'd heard the spring peepers singing away on Monday, in the warmth. I sure didn't expect to hear them today. But, guess what? I did. Here you go. Some people say they sound like sleigh bells.



Sorry that I haven't been doing any posts with much depth of info in them lately. I'm just really tired trying to get everything done in real life!

See Today Brown- Tomorrow Green
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5 comments:

jeanlivingsimple said...

Spring is off and on here in Georgia also. Had to turn my A/C on today but may have to switch to heat before the end of April.
Loved your walk and your video. Got to love those peepers! :)

Rick (Ratty) said...

I love that video. I forgot how much I loved visiting the nature parks in Michigan and listening to the frogs in spring. There's no place I know with peepers around here.

vanilla said...

Right there is pictorial evidence that you had a Quality Day! Beautiful.

Ann Thompson said...

It's encouraging to see so many signs of spring. Things should start greening up soon

RNSANE said...

I love the top picture with the tree reflections in the water. It does look really cold, though. And the butterfly looks like brown velvet! Nice.