Roads End Naturalist

Exploring the natural world as we wander at the end of the road

Wasn’t it Just Spring?

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Mike Dunn Avatar
Mike Dunn

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.

~Anne Bradstreet

The past couple of days have been warm and spring-like with highs around 60. Yesterday morning dawned with a gray coating of fog across our woods, coating everything in tiny jeweled droplets that highlighted the onset of early spring wildflowers. Today changed all that with high temperatures more than 20 degrees colder and a brisk wind. Even though I love the cold weather (and it is much better for tasks like chainsawing and splitting firewood which I did today), the taste of spring was appreciated. Here are a few photos of what was out yesterday and a hint at what is coming…

spider web in fog
The first spider web of the season on the arm of a twig (click photos to enlarge)
wild columbine flower bud
Wild columbine flower bud covered in “fog dew”
wild columbine leaves after foggy morning
A black and white of fog dew on wild columbine leaves.
spicebush blooms
The tiny spicebush flowers have opened.
bloodroot buds
Buried in snow last week, this bloodroot flower bud is now reaching high.
windflower
Windflower, one of my favorite spring ephemerals.
spring beauty
Spring beauties have been blooming for several days now, but are mainly closed today in the cold.
giant chicweed flower
The first giant chickweed flower of the season.
giant chickweed flower close up
When I looked at the image on the computer, I noticed a couple of insects I had missed while taking the photo.
Trout lily flower buds
Trout lily flower buds on our north-facing slope are a bit behind those in some other woodlands in the area.
yellow jessamine flower
A yellow jessamine flower. This is the first year (after climbing a dead snag a few years ago) that this vine has flowered.

 

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Comments

8 responses to “Wasn’t it Just Spring?”

  1. Ann DiSanto Avatar
    Ann DiSanto

    Your blogs make my day. So happy you provide these pictures and commentary- never stop! Thank you!

    Reply
    1. roadsendnaturalist Avatar
      roadsendnaturalist

      Thanks, Ann.

      Reply
  2. tonytomeo Avatar
    tonytomeo

    60s would be nice. It was more than 80 here. We really could use some more winter. We do not get much as it is. The river is running low while it should be at its highest.

    Reply
    1. roadsendnaturalist Avatar
      roadsendnaturalist

      And we have had an unusually wet (but warm) winter so our rivers are running high and flowers blooming early.

      Reply
      1. tonytomeo Avatar
        tonytomeo

        The flowers here know something about the weather that they are not sharing. It has been so warm an pleasant, but the most of the flowers are not overly early, an some are even later than they are elsewhere, as if they know that winter will be back. It happens that way sometimes.

  3. Mary Kay Coyle Avatar
    Mary Kay Coyle

    It’s always enjoyable to find those first flowers in spring. I must get out and start looking!! Thanks for your wonderful photographs!! And speaking of insects, I used to photograph flowers in the Cupola House Garden in Edenton. One time someone said to me, can’t you get pictures without bugs on the flowers?? Well, that was not my intention and it’s always a surprise when they are discovered once you put the photos up on the computer. We must be mindful of the delicate balance of nature.

    Reply
    1. roadsendnaturalist Avatar
      roadsendnaturalist

      Couldn’t agree more…the intricacies and interrelationships you can find, even in your own yard are amazing, and worthy of our attention and admiration.

      Reply
  4. eve vitaglione Avatar
    eve vitaglione

    Your re-retirement is bringing me much delight and edification!
    Eve

    Reply

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Roads End Naturalist

Exploring the natural world as we wander at the end of the road

Copyright Mike Dunn and Melissa Dowland