Tag: Spring

May Arrives in Living Color

Spring arrives stealthily in the Pacific Northwest, not in March though the calendar says so nor in April though it teases with warm days between cold and frosty ones. (And the rain? Don’t get me started.) It’s May that shouts the glory of spring… Continue Reading “May Arrives in Living Color”

Lots of Activity at the Mason Bee House

The mason bees have emerged from their little house, which hangs under the eaves of my big house. Mason bees are solitary pollinators that nest in tunnels that they seal with mud or clay. They lay female eggs in the back of the tunnel… Continue Reading “Lots of Activity at the Mason Bee House”

The Daffodils of the Skagit Valley

Though the Tulip Festival in April gets more press, daffodils are the stars of the Skagit Valley in March. But neither adhere strictly to the calendar so when we visited the tulips at Roozengaarde last week, plenty of daffodils were still in their glory.… Continue Reading “The Daffodils of the Skagit Valley”

Busy as a Chickadee on a Spring Day

We’ve had four days in a row of pure sunshine and temperatures reaching the 70’s; the sun-starved natives of the Pacific Northwest are rejoicing! The chickadees are happy too and busy excavating nests in the snag we left standing for this purpose. I hope… Continue Reading “Busy as a Chickadee on a Spring Day”

A Visitation of Goldfinches! So I Thought!

Sorry to do another bird post so soon – it was only yesterday I shared with you the nesting house finches in my garden – but I couldn’t wait. Because even though the Goldfinch is the Washington State Bird, I rarely see them, especially… Continue Reading “A Visitation of Goldfinches! So I Thought!”

Nesting Finches in the Garden

I saw this couple of house finches nesting in the garden yesterday. I look for them each year as the clematis grows high, knowing that’s where I’ll find them in the shrubs and surrounding trees. The male looks dapper in his rust-colored tux, the… Continue Reading “Nesting Finches in the Garden”

How does your garden grow? Ask a Clematis

It’s been a slow start to spring but the clematis has woken and started its annual climb using its twining arms and little curlicue feet. Sharing with Cee’s Flower of the Day. ~ Susanne

Rainy Day in a Tulip Field

The tulips are slow to bloom this year in Washington’s Skagit Valley due to the unseasonably cool weather. I hope to make it up north to see them when they do. But last year we stopped by the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm in Oregon,… Continue Reading “Rainy Day in a Tulip Field”

Cats Seeking Shelter in the Rainy Northwest and Baseball – Revisited!

After a long, cold winter, we have now settled into a typical rainy spring. The garden is loving it and new plants are being thoroughly watered in. Cats seek shelter wherever they can find it, if they are willing to go out at all.… Continue Reading “Cats Seeking Shelter in the Rainy Northwest and Baseball – Revisited!”

Bumble Bees Waking Up in the Garden

Even though spring is officially here in the Pacific Northwest, the temperatures have remained icy cold, with bouts of wind, rain and hail. Perhaps that explains why I’ve done so little in the garden. Fortunately, the azalea is in full bloom with no help… Continue Reading “Bumble Bees Waking Up in the Garden”