April Goes

It's a little sad to think that April is almost gone--the month when the world awakes around here--green appears, birds do their birdie things, bunnies hop, worms wriggle, and the earth smells of wet and life again.

Good ol' Chaucer, he knew.

A storm was whipping up the afternoon of the 14th.

It didn't really seem that scary, but this storm system swept across the country with tornadoes and hail, causing major damage and taking life. That's April for you too.

The storm clouds began to lift from the west just as the sun was setting, giving a golden glow to the end of the day.

These little violets are scattered all over the yard. I always forget where they are, but they always appear anyway.

April, thanks for all the gifts.

Saying Goodbye, Dear Redbuds

There were two old redbud trees in our back yard when we bought our house over twenty years ago. One of them already looked a little scraggly, and had been chopped on to keep it out of some wires going to the house.

Over the years, the trees looked a little less healthy each season, with dead branches and strange-looking areas in the bark.

Finally this year we reached the decision to take them out. This was not an easy thing for us to decide. However, their removal means more sun on that little spot, and we would like to grow some native plants, especially ones attractive to the bees, butterflies and birds. So I said my farewells a couple of days ago, we made the arrangements, and the deed was done yesterday afternoon.

The way they looked earlier this week.

This is Doug of Klutman Tree and Lawn Service. He's the old guy, and the boss. He had that big branch on the ground before I grabbed the camera.

That's where it came from, alright.

No going back now.

Doug up a tree like he likes it up there. His helper Tyrell is watching and throwing ropes and pulling on branches and wires and waiting to catch Doug if he falls out of the tree.

Doug--I'm sure he knows all the safety rules, I'm just not so sure he follows them. The saw is like an extension of his arm.

Doug climbs down out of the main tree; most of the big one is down now.

Tyrell makes shorter pieces. Doug is saving some for firewood to sell.

Tyrell packs the trailer and keeps cutting.

Not much else to say.

Remainders.

Pretty, still.

Almost packed up; the standing trunks are still there now.

Going.

Doug will come back to take down the standing trunks and collect his firewood. I'll get a picture of the final area later today; I went to a poetry reading.

OK, back today to add the final views:

How bare it looks now! This is going to take some getting used to. Edit: And needs a much brighter picture, I'll fix this later.

The stump of the larger tree, where there were multiple trunks grown together.

A little bit of sawdust.

The smaller trunk.

April 1, Spring Is Blue

The little blue pretties were all in my yard on April 1, no fooling!


First, these, that I think are Scilla of some kind. Gorgeous!


The last crocus standing, the purple ones.



Blue Hyacinth.



Now that's what I'm talkin' about. Blue sky, bright sunshine, flower tree, sweet little white clouds. Ahh.