The one thing about this year and last is that the days stretch on, well strictly speaking they just are totally elastic. It is quite amazing and it does seem that the concept of time has utterly changed. Being under 'stay at home order' does curb activities and where once I would have been horrified at having nothing to do (well we know there is always stuff to do, maybe I should say stuff you want to do!), it seems I have been worn down and I can quite easily feel I've had a busy day when in fact I have mooched, tied and maybe ironed!
The one thing (there is more, like food of course!) that has kept me going is the outside and what is happening there, even if it is just a glance from the inside to outside. Our home is windows everywhere and so you can look front to back in the main areas and even on our heavily patterned windows at the front you still see colour and movements and so eyes are drawn outside. The beginning of spring is a marvel and to be celebrated in the most enormous way. After winter it seems like it can't be but then April slaps you about so much you soon get over that.
We have had every form of weather and in no particular order. The plants and birds know what's up and they carry on and burst forth in colour and sound. By the end of April you know that Spring is truly springing and it's fantastic, if only you could find the allergy meds! That is the down side but I swear blue sky is the tonic for everything and as I type this that is what we have to end April and being of glorious May.
But here is what April slaps look like
Of course there are lovely crocuses and they are so delicate and beautiful early on in April
the world and his wife put out the forsythia wreaths on doors
daffodils are a plenty and blooming all over the place
and people take out there classic cars from the garage! That is what people do in the winter, work on their classic cars. Apparently
and then of course there is always the random item thrown away. It always makes me wonder, like in this case, how did they manage without the car door.? Where is the rest of it and why did they pitch this on a residential street, no sign of an accident, just placed?*
We did get some showers and these flowers bravely springing forth amid the shower
These splendid mini irises are lovely and now I know about them, I scour to find them and here they are, exotic and resplendent
Hellebores are fantastic and super showy for this time of year. They come so early and seem like a summer flower
Carpets of white violets, another flower I didn't know came in other colors
The flower carpet is an absolute favorite for me
Oh and of course it is Robin season. They are madly finding mates and squawking and fighting all over the place. They are fantastic
Fancy brick work I spied one walk
These are like fake flowers but they're not. The intensity of their colour is amazing and as the month speeds up I see that this is indeed the colours of the season, purple and yellow
So as for a pandemic shot this one is a camouflaged one. Not an interesting massive snail shell or some such wonder but a disregarded mask.....actually I would throw it too, I mean shiny leopard print mask? why oh why! But I would put it in the bin.!!!!
Stripy crocuses in the afternoon sun
and of course these marvels. Probably a type of tulip
These daffs look so weary
Not this guy in the violets
"Seriously taking pictures of squirrels when you have me! Ridiculous!"
and aren't catkins great! fuzzy and chartreuse
These look like these are spray painted
There is some interesting puddle art here. Me and Louie were both drawn to this puddle and wet cracked tarmac. I love the patch of blue sky, always gives a little hope of better things to come. And of course the little splash of forsythia in the left top corner, the yellow is vibrant
We were out and about wanting to get some snaps of the magnolia. Well we got that and look at that sky behind! I believe that is what is known as slate grey!
It did give a lovely colour background
and to the early buds its lovely contrast and adds richness
The green popping leaves
It was at this point that we decide that the "sun shower" was in fact a rain storm! We got utterly soaked going home and had a good laugh at our adventure
I did see this little fella on the way another day
Chickadees are lovely
Some pansies hanging around
And that forsythia is just going gang busters
Yay!!!! Horse Chestnuts are back and here are their leaves and behind them you can see the candle which will be the flower
Star Magnolia, just lovely and this is a lovely one and I have decided that as I have a dead tree to replace, this is indeed something that would be nice in front of my house
and a pink version, that lives around the corner
Helloo gold finch juvie, still a little green tinge to the feathers
Primroses always make me think of home and the hedges there
At last tulip season
I loved this stacking fungi
This could literally be a corner in England, well I am on George Street
They had these little things they had put on the telegraph poles
This was a massive tree felled in the autumn, super enormous
I really liked this is message someone had left out
Fantastic truck and I've been trying to get a good shot of this for a while. I am pleased I got him and spring bunchy leaves
Then it snowed!!!!! Apparently on the 22 April every year it snows, according to a lady whos birthday it is on that day...bummer. She said that was the case all her life and she was in her 50's. Bet she doesn't put out bedding plants before Mothers Day (9th May this year in North America). The day you shouldn't plant before, because of surprise frosts and snows. It was gone by tea time
But spring isn't perturbed
These tulips are glowing in the evening sunshine
and how about these wiggly ones
Blossoms are everywhere
Really like bottle brushes of blossoms
My tulips are here
Fields of tulips and one bulb that's different, just round the corner
These are super purple and bobbly. Just fab
and maples are out
and so is the blackbird! I haven't seen one in forever
Another few days of rain showers and cool
This golden curtain of catkins off a silver birch are like hair in the breeze, and we float into May, after a stormy tempestuous day of wind and below zero temps. All the bulbs survive! amazing and keep on flowering
