5/11/08 MOTHERS DAY

Sunday, 8:00 AM. 35 degrees, wind WNW, calm to moderate. The barometer is down, predicting rain. We got only a trace of rain last night, but it filled the two rain barrels nonetheless.
A Pasque flower, Anemone patens, is blooming in the front yard, right on schedule; it is almost a bitter morning, just cold and windy enough to make me wish I had worn my gloves on our walk. It may be a late spring, but we still have enough blossoms for Mothers Day.

5/10/08 MAYBE IT'S SPRING

Saturday, 8:45 AM. 40 degrees, wind S, calm. The channel is like glass. The barometer predicts rain, skies are hazy.
The trip to Madison for the Urban Forestry Council meting was pleasant, and reminiscent of trips to Atlanta or somewhere south in February or March. By the time we got to Minocqua the poplars were pretty well leafed out; by Wausau oaks were leafing out as well, and wild plums and Juneberries were in bloom. Madison was beautiful, with flowering crabapples, magnolias, tulips, Viburnums all in bloom. We are still pretty far behind up here, but will catch up soon.
Went to Hauser's on J to buy some pansies, they were busy, busy, busy.

5/08/08 CUTE BUT DEADLY

Thursday, 8:00 AM. 39 degrees, wind ENE, light to variable. The channel is wrinkled. The barometer predicts sunny skies, which are currently clear with some haze. It is a gorgeous morning, and there was a happy contingent of dogs and walkers out.
I had promised Andy I would plant some wildflowers (Leatris bulbs) for him so I drove out to his place yesterday afternoon. A porcupine scampered up a tree as we drove in. They have their place in nature’s scheme of things of course, but they are extremely damaging (to pine trees in particular), and are absolutely deadly to dogs, which are not smart enough to realize the danger. A dog with a mouthful of quills is in great peril, and even if they survive the experience, are likely to repeat it if given the opportunity. Lucky stayed in the truck.

5/07/08 BEARS AND BLOOMS

7:30 AM, 39 degrees, wind WNW, light. The barometer is down, predicting rain. Skies are overcast, the channel wrinkled.
The bear took down our feeders off the back porch last night, he must have waited until after midnight when we went to bed, as we would have heard him otherwise. I am beginning to think Lucky is a friend of the bear. This incident is proof positive that if fate is tempted long enough it will bite. The male downy woodpecker is very upset that his breakfast is missing. If I put the small feeders back up they will have to be taken in every night. It is time to put up the hummingbird feeders anyway, as the birds always arrive by May 15th.
The Forsythia are blooming at last, desperate to do their thing. Ours are not much this year as I had to cut them back severely last summer, and they bloom on old wood.

5/06/08 SUGAR MAPLE BLOSSOMS

Tuesday, 7:30 AM. 36 degrees, wind E, calm. The channel is like glass. The barometer predicts rain, the skies are mostly filled with puffy clouds, and the sun is peeking through.
A sugar maple tree on 11th and Manypenny is in full bloom, the first I’ve seen this spring. Again, the round clusters of greenish yellow flowers, about the size of a quarter, are not spectacular, but have a subtle beauty all their own.
I forgot I had a garbage can partly filled with deer corn sitting on the side of the garage, and our neighborhood bear got into it last night, dented it all up, and ate part of the contents. Bears have a cast iron stomach. Jane across the street says it is a good sized bear, that can reach at least eight feet, the height of their bird feeder that it took down.

5/05/08 QUIET WOODS

Monday, 7:00 AM. 29 degrees, wind NW, calm to light. The channel is wrinkled. The first two ferries of the day are leaving La Pointe. The barometer is up, predicting sunny skies, which are currently blue with some haze.
Once again it was a very quiet walk, meeting nothing and nobody. Maybe I am getting up earlier than most. Garbage was strewn around between Wilson and Manypenny on 8th street, so our local bruin must have been busy again last night.
I took the woods walk for the first time in a while, it having been pretty wet. All seems well and there is an air of expectancy about things, which are just waiting for some warm weather. I just put some fancy chocolate in my coffee, and it sure tastes good (I am always happy to hear that something that used to be considered bad for me is now considered beneficial).

5/04/08 RED MAPLE BLOSSOMS

Sunday, 9:00 AM. It is 36 degrees, the wind E, light. The barometer is down, predicting partly sunny skies. The skies presently are partly cloudy, the channel is calm. It is a very quiet morning, we met neither car nor person or dog, only the birds and squirrels are active. Red maples are in full bloom, and although not spectacular, close up they are very pretty in blossom.