Roses and Peonies

Roses and Peonies are two of my favorite flowers and they're both in full bloom right now:) You'll probably be seeing lots more of these around here.

Climbing Roses

Peonies

The strawberry are almost ripe as well :)

Gray Days and Growing Things

Gray. Thats the word that comes to mind when I think about the last ten days. Gray skies, gray rain, and the hazy gray mood of lethargy. A bit dramatic? Maybe, but its hard to get motivated when the world is so, well, gray. Oh we've seen the sun a bit this month,  for maybe five minutes at a time. I don't like taking photos when its like this, all the color gets washed out and everything ends up looking rather dull and...gray. I had thought that the sun was coming out for a bit when I went out but soon found that I was mistaken. I might have gone back in the house and put it off for another day but then I began finding the early promise of summer's fruits and new flowers replacing spring's scattered blossoms. I still long for the sun but the gray skies have not stopped the creeping arrival of summer.

The last of the lilacs are fast fading, under one I found the ground covered over with pale purple flowers that had been knocked loose. I wonder if the fairies are getting ready for a dance, the only thing that could make the place more perfect for them would be some nice mossy patches.

I found these little ones quiet on accident, I gave their mother a scare as I passed, I didn't get much of a look at her so I have no idea what sort of bird they are. I'll have to keep an eye on them as they grow. 

The orchard is already preparing for summer and fall harvests...

Apples

Cherries

Black Caps, also known as Black Raspberries

Strawberries 

Rose bud

Bridal Bouquet or Bridal Wreath 

I honestly don't know what these are, they just stared growing in our ditch ;)

The gray skies are still depressing but there is always something bright to be found around the farm if you go looking for it. Besides, with summer taking over I expect I'll soon wish for a relief from the sun and the heat that goes with it. Until then I will just have to make the best of gray, hopefully I can avoid starting out so depressingly nextime :)

When Life Smells Like Spring

Dare I say it could be spring? That winter may indeed have let us loose from his chill grasp?

Forgive the dramatics but if you've been following the weather in the Minnesota area lately then maybe you can understand where I'm coming from. If not I'll put it simply; winter would not END. Every time it started to warm up it would snow again. This last time it snowed on May 1st, May Day, we woke up the next morning to around 18" of snow and no power. Now I like snow well enough, but really that was too much.

I have been starved for life and color. I drink in every blade of grass and devour the sight of anything flowering or even just looking a little greener than it has for the past several months. I've started several blog posts on this topic but the reality of a gray, or even white, world stifled my efforts each time. Not even last years spring photos (which never got posted here when they were new) could spur me on past the first effort.

But now there is life in the world again. Fresh grass and the strong new shoots of tiger lilies and daylilies spread green across the lawn. Daffodils proudly display their colors, first of the year. The magnolia is in full bloom, white but living, not cold and lifeless as the snow it resembles. Even the sky is bluer.

Its been warm this week, more like summer than spring, but it was the sunlight this morning that stirred up my spring fever more than anything else. I'd taken pictures earlier in the week but everything was still so gray then, today it's bright and alive.

I know I've rambled a good bit here but its spring and I can't help myself. So thanks for enduring all that, enjoy the photos and your own spring, or whatever season it is where you live.

Magnolia 

Daffodils 

May Photo Vote

May is over now, so as goodbye, I thought I would post some of my favorite pics from this past month's posts and ask for your vote. Which one is your favorite? Did you like one better that I didn't post here? What do you like/think about them?

http://fromyesterdaystomorrow.blogspot.com/2011/05/magnolia-buds.html

http://fromyesterdaystomorrow.blogspot.com/2011/05/violets.html

http://fromyesterdaystomorrow.blogspot.com/2011/05/spring-is-like-child.html

http://fromyesterdaystomorrow.blogspot.com/2011/05/raspberry-shoots-and-such.html

http://fromyesterdaystomorrow.blogspot.com/2011/05/bee-autiful-day.html

http://fromyesterdaystomorrow.blogspot.com/2011/05/raspberry-shoots-and-such.html

Thanks for doping in! Hope you had a lovely May and Hope you have a better June!

A Bee-autiful Day

While I was geting photos for my last post, a couple of bees found their way into my shots. I rather like bees I think, so long as they don't try and land on anything that isn't a flower. ;D  Any way I hope nobody gets stung this spring/summer! oh and forgive the puns if you can, I'm feeling silly today!

 

'Here's a dandy looking flower! And all mine too!'

'I havvve alwayzzz lovvved lilaczzz....'

'I zhould go tell the otherz...hmm, maybe it can wait a minute or two...'

Spring is like a Child

    Spring is like a child, new and fresh and alive. She wants to do everything at once and the world lights up with her efforts...

      When you walk out the door you can smell the lilacs, every time you just want to bury your face in them. The ditches are turning gold with dandelions and all their yellow heads. A soft mist of violets is spreading in the cool shade. Apple blossoms and those of the plums are turning the orchard in to a white garland' fairy hall. The sky seems bluer each day as the rain washes the fading of winter away. A green mantle slowly settles over the trees and new planted fields. The mushrooms are popping, drawing hungry searchers from their daily tasks; they bring their bounty home to join asparagus and chives in bringing new flavors to their tables. Windows are thrown open to the sound of birds and children rejoicing in this season so filled with life.  

~*~*~*~

Lilacs are one of my favorite things about May

Follow the yellow bordered road!

Apple Blossoms

'Goldfinch in the Birch,' taken by a friend

Violets

I needed to post to satisfy my conscience. So enjoy the violets.

Corel Photo edited 

Original

Raspberry Shoots and Such

More spring photos for you all. I have some ideas for some more creative posts that I hope to get done this week. Until then I thought you might like these.

The raspberries are coming back, these are new shoots but many of the old canes are reviving as well. Last year they were bent over with dozens of berries each. I can almost taste them...

In the spring I always find myself devouring whatever color I can find in the world. When the land changes from dirty white to faded brown and gray, repeatedly between November and May, it is little wonder we crave something more vibrant. 

The cattle panels are still up from last year's tomatoes, waiting for their new charges. The tin man looks a little worse for having stayed at his post the winter through, but then he never complains.