Apple Orchard in the Rain

 
A long day of work, some of it in the rain. But I really like these apple trees beginning to show signs of leafing out, and the dandelions. I didn't adjust the color at all. It was like that- all fresh from the rain.



As I was taking this picture I heard a familiar sound, and managed to catch two sandhill cranes. Not a great picture, but I'm always pleased when I can catch them in flight.

	See Where the North Begins and the Fine Fruit Grows
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Baltimore Oriole

 
So many quality things are happening, it's hard to decide what to share. Loretta gave me a gift certificate for plants as a present, and the weather was gorgeous today, so I gardened. But those pictures can wait.

I want to share with you the great show given us by the Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula. They come through almost every spring, sing for me and move on. They were in Loretta's yard last night because she has a hummingbird feeder, which orioles love. (Not to mention oranges and grape jelly!) These are the best pictures I've ever gotten. And you get a story, too.

Om and I pulled into Loretta's driveway and Mrs. O poked her head out of the lattice that covers the space under the deck. Seemed like an odd place for an oriole to hang out, to me.



She moved to a planter, and WOW, Mr. O appeared.



Now, don't go thinking they might build a nest under there. That's not their style at all. They hang a basket from a branch- that and their color give them the nickname "Fire Hangbird."

Back to the story. Pretty soon the female went to the railing. Can't believe bird feet can get much purchase on that pipe!



The male followed, again, but he liked a post better.

He spent some time having a treat at the feeder, and then they flew off to the trees. Loretta says they were still there this morning. It would be awesome if they built a nest near her.

This isn't a great picture, but I like it because of the motion. So you get one more.



P.S. still in fine print. The antibiotics are working, but things are not right yet. Hike plans with a tentative green light, but it's got to be better. Can't hike like this. Food is not my friend. Managed to eat about 1/2 c. white potato, 1/4 c. applesauce, 1/4 c. sweet potato, 2 strawberries, and 4 small bites of lemon cake all day.

	See Northern Oriole- A Lucky Shot
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Happy Birthdays to Us

 
Loretta, Om and I have conveniently arranged our birthdays to be within one month of each other. So we celebrated them all together today. I am now officially old, to join the others.



What good is a party without cake and candles? (Younger brother Jim was invited, but he was out of town- thus four cakes)



Here's a fun tidbit for fellow bloggers. I couldn't brag about this until we had the party. A couple of months ago, Abby Goat, on The Maaaa of Pricilla, announced the winner of a name-the-new-soap contest. The name Clara was chosen for a cute little cow. And I submitted that name. The publicist liked it, and the prize was nice soaps to pass along to Loretta, with Pricilla's and Abby's pictures on the labels. The frog soap is named Lin. The bar is probably named Barry (I'm not sure about that one.) They all smell wonderful, and Loretta loves them. Thank you publicist Patty, and Abby, and Pricilla. (You can get some of your own at Happy Goat Soap

We went to Loretta's afterwards and played games for a while.

P.S.in small print. No hike planning has been happening. The Shark had a difficult week that ended in the emergency room on Friday, where she was poked and prodded and X-rayed, and proclaimed healthy as a small horse, but suffering from a serious intestinal infection. Hefty antibiotics have her feeling better already, and it looks like hiking will proceed, but the week has not been fun.

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Willow Mysteries

Remember the picture I posted a few days ago of a tree with fluffy things up against the sunny sky. What the heck were they? I was stumped. Saw red osier dogwood there- they don't have a flower like that. Saw alder there- they don't have a flower like that.

Found a whole lot more of them the other day, down closer where I could get a good look and sort out which branches went with which things. It's generally a scrubby little shrub of a tree.


Here are the fluffy things, closer. They are clearly catkins, as in male flowers.


Very pretty! Next, I found a definitive piece of information. Clearly is is a willow. You can see the "pussy" on the same branch.


And here are some of the pussies that are beginning to grow into the fluff ball caterpillars.


So, I went hunting in my "Shrubs of Michigan" book. I don't recall pussy willows turning into these monster caterpillars when I was a kid. And, AHA, they probably didn't. I think this is Salix glaucophylloides var. glaucophylla, which is somewhat particular to Michigan, or at least coastal areas. It likes sandy soil around the Great Lakes. Common name Broadleaf Willow. I'll have to go back when the leaves come out. I'm not certain enough of this yet to declare it a done deal.

And in another effort to throw the identification off, many of the twigs sport galls, which on the tree I saw at distance seemed like alder cones. Close-up, I knew exactly what it was.


I had to do a little sleuthing to learn who causes it. It's called a willow cone gall, and is caused by a midge (Rhabdophaga strobiloides). They lay eggs in the terminal bud, which grows this gall creating a nice home for the new midges to grow until the next spring.

Of course, willows hybridize like crazy, but I think I'm on the right track.

	See 87 Years Strong
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Waiting for Summer

 
This is such a trite image. Everyone here uses things like this for advertising, or whatever. O well, just add me to the lineup. I like it.

It was warm today, but gray when I took the picture. Such a lonely beach, waiting for summer.

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