The thunderstorms yesterday and this morning probably have many steams and rivers surging with more water again. And the rivers cutting through river will become louder as the water rushes by.
Rushing Water
Picture of the Day for April 24, 2016
A rainy Sunday morning doesn’t lend itself for a walk in the woods to look at wildflowers as a majority of blossoms will be closed up with no sun shining, but there is some color to see, especially in the pond with some ducks playing and splashing in the water. My little pond has become a stopping place for eleven wood ducks and three mallards and at times it looks like water skiers when some of the males chase each other.
Male Wood Ducks
Picture of the Day for April 23, 2016
The sun doesn’t look as bright yellow this morning as this flower does. The Yellow Trout Lily emerges from the two basal leaves, which from seed to blooming takes 4-7 years. Until the corm reaches flowering size, it produces only a single, ground-level leaf per season. Most of the leaves in colonies I have in the woods are single leaves so it is nice to see a flower blossom.
The common name of trout lily is in reference to the mottled leaves and the appearance of the flowers during trout fishing season. It is also called Adder’s Tongue, due to the tongue-like shape of the flowering shoot and supposedly resembles an open mouth of a snake.
Yellow Trout Lily
Picture of the Day for April 22, 2016
Today is Earth Day, which started in 1970, and events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. The main focus has changed throughout the years, with recycling efforts boosted in 1990 and in 2000, the push was on global warming and pushing for clean energy. The organizers behind Earth Day are hoping to use the 2016 celebration to plant 7.8 billion trees, divest from fossil fuels and make cities 100 per cent renewable.
Trees for Earth Day
Picture of the Day for April 21, 2016
There is no blue in the sky but there some blue on the ground. Although the Siberian Squill is now considered to be an invasive species after being brought to this country as an ornamental and it is hard to eradicate so the bulb has spread rapidly. It very hardy and cold tolerant, and is left untouched by critters from voles to deer.
Sea of Blue
Picture of the Day for April 20, 2016
The first calf for the season on our farm arrived yesterday, although it missed the warm days so he is enjoying the warmth of the barn instead, but soon he can romp around outside when it isn’t raining.
First Calf
Picture of the Day for April 19, 2016
The warm weather has disappeared, but a number of the wildflowers opened the last few days. And the ground has patches of white, although not from snow, but from wildflowers like wood anemones and bloodroots. The strong wind has been rather hard on the blossoms as petals have fallen even though the flowers just opened.
Ground White from Bloodroots
Picture of the Day for April 18, 2016
Another warm spring day has the birds returning and singing joyfully. A new arrvial is the Brown Thrasher, a bird which mimics other birds and songs in a series of doubled phrases. They have a extremely varied repertoire of more than 1,100 different song types and include imitations of other birds.
Songster Singing
Picture of the Day for April 17, 2016
It appears spring is officially here at last as the dandelions have made their appearance! But I can’t pick the pretty yellow flowers for my mom since the butterflies are landing on them for the nectar as there isn’t much else for food sources for the bees and butterflies at the moment until other flowers open up.
Sign of Spring
Picture of the Day for April 16, 2016
Although the trees are still bare, but with signs of new leaves budding out, it is a nice spring day to enjoy a walk through the woods or near a river as the birds are singing a happy tune today. The hike could include walk across a covered bridge like the one found in Amnicon Falls State Park.
Horton Covered Bridge
