On a nice sunny spring day in the lower 70s, after a stretch of cold rainy ones, I would have trouble sitting still in school. Course many of the students in this school may have be absent in the spring time as some of the boys would have helped with the crop planting. This old school was built around 1898.
Old Potter School
The little five pointed Spring Beauties won’t open fully unless in bright sunshine and these were just starting to open up when the clouds lessened and let the sun shine through.
Spring Beauties in Springtime
After all the rain, and with the sun out most of the day, the grass will be growing quickly. Several of my neighbors have already mowed the first time this spring but I had standing water in spots. Besides the water, the lawn is showing some yellow from dandelions and yellow rocket as well as blues and purples from violets. But hidden in the grass, with blue streaked white mini blossoms an eighth to a quarter of inch across, some Thyme-leaf Speedwell can be spotted if looking closely. There is a native variety but mine is the non-native species so it is considered a weed but it does have cute little flowers.
Thyme-leaf Speedwell
After snow yesterday and a cold this morning, the sun finally made its appearance, which I’m sure all the flowers appreciated as well as I did. The birds seemed to be happier too and I noticed the first grosbeak back. Butterflies flitted around in the afternoon sun and this larger tiger swallowtail butterfly was gathering some nectar from a dandelion.
Swallowtail Enjoying A Dandelion
The April showers from last night brought May snow today instead of May flowers for a May Day basket. The poor wildflowers were probably calling out a Mayday distress instead when they were being bombed by huge snowflakes today.
Mayday on May Day
It may be the last day of April, but if feels more like early March instead and it wasn’t a nice or sunny day to go hiking at a park. The April rains are supposed to bring May flowers but some area may get some cold snow instead. Maybe next weekend will bring a more pleasant day for enjoying nature hike.
Hike Across the Covered Bridge
One of the more abundant shrub in Wisconsin bogs is the Leather-leaf, which the leaves are leathery in texture. And it is a good thing their little bell shape blossoms hang down or they would get filled with water the next few days.
Blossoms of Leather-leaf
The day started below freezing but at least the sun came out for those planting trees this Arbor Day. But those new little trees will take a while to reach high into the sky. I actually un-planted a bitternut tree (or at least a nut) when I was planting my flowers and discovered the nut that they chipmunks had buried in my flower pot.
Reaching for the Sky
When I think of trees with needles, I don’t picture them bare during the winter but Tamarack trees do turn a pretty yellow in the fall before they shed their needles. In the spring, new growth emerges with 10 to 20 needles per cluster and make the tree green again.
Tamarack New Needles
With the mention of snow and ice in the forecast and below freezing temperatures at night, it is a good thing that I haven’t spotted any hummingbirds back yet. But I bet some of the other birds that have returned wished they were still down south, including this Sandhill Crane.
Sandhill Crane
