In Wisconsin, if it doesn’t rain on Memorial Day, we’re lucky. Today, it is supposed to rain. In fact, as I write this post, it is raining. A nice, calm, steady rain. The birds are singing. It’s peaceful. No worries, the last two days have been sunny and warm, so we’re good.
We cooked out yesterday, but no bonfire, or marshmallow toasting fire in this little ol’ fire pit, it was too dang windy. Even if the woodpile is ready, we know it is safe only when it is calmer outside.
We’ve got time, summer season isn’t officially here. It’s still sprouting spring around here.
The rabbits have suddenly gone MIA, probably watching over their crop of mini bunnies – or an Eagle or a hawk or a fox helped thin the herd. It’s nature, what can I say. If not, those pesky, cute, and full of fluff rabbits will soon be back to invade the space again.
It’s hard not to feel happy about our spring so far. A few days of sun, followed by rain is a good thing for crops in the spring.
The leaf buds on the Catalpa trees are finally sprouting.
That means it is safe to plant the crops. Fast and furious fertilization and planting happen at this time of year. The Catalpa trees better get busy growing to catch up to the maple leaves.
I harvested some Zinnia and Blackeyed Susan and Marigold seeds from last years’ crop and was able to get them planted them in the flower beds.
Now I wait to see if anything grows. Especially the marigolds in my little buckets…
I felt like a true farmer, except he has huge power tools to make his work look much easier.
To heck with cleaning up the field first, he fertilized one day and was back the next day to plant soybeans in the rows between last year’s crop of corn. It works, it always does.
Now we’ll both wait to see what grows first. The soft rain I continue to hear outside my window this morning will no doubt help.
We mowed the dandelions, for the second time, just as some buds had turned to fluff.
Meanwhile, in the warmth of sunny moments, I’ve been listening to the bees as they help with pollination. Even if you can’t see them, the flowering crab tree buds are all humming with quite the sum of honey bees.
Pooh would be tickled pink.
The House Finch songbirds are guarding their nests by drawing attention up to them in the trees –
And Robins are keeping an eye out for spots on the ground to eat worms.
They’ve been lucky this year – between the dew-drenched grass and the intermittent rainy days, the grass is green, and the worms are plentiful.
I adore the solemness, as well as the anticipation that spring brings to life. And on Memorial Day, those who have gone before us to protect and keep us safe are owed our gratitude.
If you’re celebrating Memorial Day, I hope you’re having a great one. Thank you to those who served and died to protect our freedom to live and breathe and enjoy the beauty around us.
Post inspired by Jo’s Monday Walk and Amy’s prompt for Lens Artists #47 – Five Elements – Our challenge this week is about five elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. These five elements are based on the Chinese theory of the composition of the world. The theory has influenced Chinese medicine, philosophy, etc. for more than two thousand years.
PS – If you’re celebrating, what is your plan for the holiday? Grilling out? Lighting a bonfire? Camping in nature? Climbing in a metal boat and fishing in the water? Or just relaxing and appreciating the beauty around you?! Enjoy!
Beautiful photos and tribute to Memorial Day. A quiet day in store for me.
Thank you 🙂 It’s quiet here in our empty nest. It’s kind of nice, in a way! 😉
A beautiful set of photos tribute to Memorial Day.
Thank you, Shelley for joining in the Five Elements theme. 🙂
Thank you, Amy, I appreciate the opportunity to join along.
My pleasure of having you. 🙂
A beautiful tribute for those men and women that made so many sacrifices.
Enjoy the holiday
Thank you, Drew. I hope you’re enjoying the holiday too. I bet it is a lot warmer in Florida than it is in Wisconsin! Stay cool 🙂
Smiling. Yes, it is.
YAY!
Loved your pictures. Yes the worms are so plentiful, the moles are creating a mess in m y yard. I need more robins. Hope you enjoy the day.
Thank you, Anita. Yes, we have moles too, and Grackles – they seem to go nuts for the worms and the grubs that the moles like. I hope you’re having a wonderful day!
I saw the storms clouds left us and headed straight to your neck of the woods. Stay dry. Maybe by mid July we will be wishing we had some rain.
Yes, they headed right toward us. We had rain all day. We didn’t have the tornado warnings though – my oldest had those in Minnesota. I’m sure we’ll be wishing for rain later this summer. Hope you have a great week!
A beautiful set of photo-graphical tribute to Memorial Day!❤️
Thank you, I appreciate your encouragement!
Also, just followed you on Instagram! 🙂
Thank you!!! 🙂
I followed you back! 🙂
Ah, that’s awesome! Thank you so much!❤️
You’re welcome!
Shelley, this is a wonderful way to pay tribute to Memorial Day, our fallen soldiers and the beauty of spring. It’s not the best day, but it gave me reason to stay in my pajamas and work on a few writing projects. I hope you’ve had a fabulous holiday weekend and are enjoying a quiet, rainy day.
Thank you, Mary. Yeah, the weather wasn’t nice yesterday at all. The day before it was nice enough for a bike ride. I thought of you and wondered if you were out riding too. I did enjoy relaxing and watching a movie and reading a book on Monday. I’m glad I took pictures of the trees when I did, all those pretty buds are on the ground now. Thanks for sharing your thoughts – hope you have a great, short week!
No back riding on Sunday, unfortunately. Dealing with some low back pain that I hope to resolve this week.
Oh, no!!! Sorry to hear that. I hope it is resolved this week, so you’re ready to hit the road in June!!
👍👍👍
I meant bike riding.
Wisconsin, huh? I’m right next door in Michigan. Heading to Wisconsin tomorrow to see a friend who’s very ill. Could you give me some good weather for the drive?! 🙂
Yes, Wisconsin. Sorry to hear about your friend. So nice of you to travel to visit. You’re in luck, we’re supposed to have nice weather here tomorrow. I wish you safe travels.
Nicely done Shelley. Sounds like you enjoyed a perfect weekend. And a lovely tribute to the fallen as well
Thank you, Tina. Yes, it was a nice weekend. I enjoyed your selection of photos, so unique. I love how your photos show how much you pay attention to the little details in life.
I love your Spring and Memorial Day tribute Shelley. All the finer things that are Spring as we’ve always known it are memorialized here. The bunnies are scarce in my neck of the woods, thinned out like yours I fear by the hawks … no eagles and foxes near me (but who knows as we had a coyote down the street last Fall). I especially love those pink blooms – just gorgeous!
Thank you, Linda, I appreciate your compliments. As you’re aware, the weather does its number on things — the lovely blossoms were on the ground later in the day – the wind and rain took care of them. The vivid bright pink tree is still hanging onto its blossoms, though. It was a late bloomer. LOL!
You are welcome Shelley and it is always sad to me when the magnolia trees or bushes are in bloom and a windstorm takes those blossoms and scatters them to the wind. It happens all the time. Our magnolias all bloomed late this year due to the cool Spring. One year they bloomed and we had a hard freeze – frozen buds on the tree. And it messed up the trees as they bloomed another time later that year!
I’m impressed with the seasonal cues that trigger the growth process in trees – they recover every year, despite the obstacles. It is quite amazing.
Yes it is and yesterday I went into my backyard to check on the progress of the dead rosebushes and non-blooming lilacs … all that is alive right now is the forget-me-nots and I had to grab a big handful as they were up against the A/C condenser unit. However, there was one exception: my Miss Kim lilac bush is blooming for the first time since I planted it in the 90s – go figure?! The other lilac trees are not blooming, but did leaf out. The -45 windchill really wreaked havoc with my yard.
Wow – that’s so cool to see the flowers persevere and come back. Very interesting. Their resilence is inspiring.
Yes, especially after such a brutal Winter and we had a very hot Summer in 2018. We did not have much rain in the Fall, and then we had a hard freeze. That doomed many bushes and trees.
Beautiful photos indeed, Shelley! I specifically like the featured image.
Thank you, Winnie – I appreciate you sharing your vote!