Anyone living in Wisconsin knows snow is a big part of life, but I do enjoy spring when things are blooming and the landscape turns green again. I took a photo of this barn in the winter and while the red provided a nice contrast against the white snow, I do prefer the red and green instead (even with some yellow from weeds) and some pinks too.
Red, Green with some Yellow and Pink
According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology web site, the Mourning Dove’s nest is “a flimsy assembly of pine needles, twigs, and grass stems, unlined and with little insulation for the young.” Well that describes this Mourning Dove nest found on a snapped off tree, although I wouldn’t have noticed it if I didn’t scare her off the nest while on a hike.
Mourning Dove Nest
Wisconsin became a state on May 29, 1848 and when the state flowers were first nominated in 1908, the school children voted for the wildflower on Arbor Day 1909. They selected the wood violet over the wild rose, trailing arbutus, and the white water lily.
The wood violet is commonly seen in wet woodland, meadow areas, along roadsides and on my lawn this year. They are also in my woods and it seemed like a fitting picture to have a wood violet near some wood.
Woodsy Wood Violets
On a warm, sunny afternoon, one might spot turtles basking on logs, stumps or on the backs of other turtles. The painted turtle has existed for 15 million years and can even survive the cold, harsh Wisconsin winters by hibernating in the muddy bottoms of waterways.
Basking helps regulate the body temperature of this cold-blooded reptile which needs an internal body temperature between 63 and 73°F to be active. The turtle starts its day at sunrise, emerging from the water to bask for several hours which helps rid them of parasitic leeches and warm the body temperature. Once warmed for activity, the turtle returns to the water to forage. Then the day is spent both basking and foraging. At night, the turtle drops to the bottom of its water body or perches on an underwater object and sleeps.
Painted Turtles
There are more signs that spring may truly be here since the air is filled with the scent of blooming trees, like this flowering crab tree.
Spring is in the Air
On this Memorial Day, in all the normal fun holiday activities planned, I hope people remember the real reason for the holiday; a holiday to remember the men and women who died while serving in our country’s armed forces, like this soldier who died just a few weeks before the end of World War I.
Remembering the Fallen Soldier
A sunny, yellow smile on a sunny Sunday morning. Less common than the purple colored violets, the Downy Yellow Violet adds some color on the woodland floor along with the other violets in purples and blues and the pinks from the Spring Beauties.
Downy Yellow Violet
The trees are finally leafing out again but when the leaves first emerge, they almost have a fall feel with colorful shades of yellows, reds, browns and greens.
Springtime Barn
Pretty in yellow? Some fields and lawns are covered in a pretty yellow color, thanks to the dandelion, which is hated some people. I know the bees are enjoying the pretty yellow blossoms and I even think there enough blooming so I can give my mother her Mother’s Day flowers now without the bees missing them.
I don’t mind the yellow but I don’t like when the dandelions turn white and the seeds start blowing since when I mow through them, the little parachute seem to end up by the engine fan and clogs it or get in my face.
Pretty in Yellow
My yard has been filled with colorful birds with the return of summer birds intermixed with the year round birds; Indigo Buntings, Bluebirds, Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Orchard Orioles, Scarlet Tanager, Cardinal, Yellow Warblers and the Goldfinches provide a rainbow effect outside.
The birds have been emptying the feeders at an alarming rate and there are fights at the feeders. The Goldfinches are rather strict vegetarians, selecting an entirely vegetable diet and only inadvertently swallowing an occasional insect, so there is a waiting line for the sunflower seed feeder. Sometimes it is hard at times to pick out the Goldfinches among the dandelions when they are searching for the fallen seed.
Yellow on a Stick
