White Spots in the Dust

Sunbathing, dirt splashing.....

serious business, folks.

Like no-nonsense serious.

Or, you know, you could just chill. It's whatever.

Says Rionach- Hey... Hey, you watching? Hey? Watch.

 I can do that.

I roll one way and flail my arms in the air......

I roll the other way and twist all over..like... allll over!!

Hey, hey, you see? good, right? You saw???

I was good. It was perfect imitation.

Like, woulda fooled anyyy-one. Anyone.

The view.

Forsythia and Pie

View from the high garden with the umbrella Forsythia....

One of the three "landscape" plants that came with the property.

The other two-

 another type of Forsythia with a rather more shocking yellow tone to the flowers,

along with the most beautiful rose bush ever.

Meanwhile, inside it is Dandelion pie!

With feta and herbs- Thyme, Rosemary, and a bit of Mint- sounds odd perhaps but is lovely.

Or maybe that should be baby mint. The flavor is a bit different, not much once cooked,

BUT it is adorable coming up in little rossettes. So worth mentioning.

'Nough Said

Weather- Rainy and in the 70s

Whisper is due is just under 2 weeks- let the Spring chores really begin.

First Periwinkle blooms.

Saw my first wild violet bud, deep purple..... Soon my walk to the mail will be filled with woodland color.

Rosemary

Herbal bouquet....

While outside the Forsythia blooms.

Sunday Gardening

Can't really say what type of salamander this is, other than 

the "little blackish fellows in the shadier side bed."

Identification isn't reeeeally my forte, although I study the Va Herp website dutifully.

Probably would help if I took them time to study and count costal grooves and things,

but I hate bothering them and usually just move them to a safer spot and keep gardening.

Regardless, they are beautiful and elegant little fellows.

This one had a rather funny short tail, so guess he was growing a new one.

 Ode to the White Oak in Early Spring.....

Red Maples are out!

Rain and Mist Equinox

Pretty sure the Spring Equinox is a legitimate reason for cake.

Plus some very special rose jasmine white tea.

I like to celebrate in style.

The Beeches have gone white in preparation 

for the leaves to finally fall and be replaced with new growth.

I love White Oaks. Several large ones circle my house,

which means I can constantly be amazed by their bark against the sky,

and their ruddy winter leaves in different light.

St. Patrick's Day

Cloudy much of today....

Pink Hyacinth 

Of course.

White of early Spring

Lilac

Good Morning

Sunrise yesterday....

And sunrise today

Rainy Day

Embryonic outside today, just lovely. Warm and steady rain all day, the air a thick wet fluffy blanket. One of those days when you can check between morning and evening all the new sprouts that have shown up. The frogs have started breeding, the bats are out. I had the window open- no wind so rain didn't come in- and I actually had some bugs fly in to visit. Going to the mail, one of the cows was right up at the fence with her three new calves- all four of them solid black, the mother a bit worn but watchful, the calves just getting used to the world, shaking their heads and testing the Earth. But now, evening, it is clearing into pale blue mists and shafts of gold.

Sunset......

Clearing

60 degrees outside today, quite impressive.....

Oak