What a fun weekend! The weather, for lack of a better word, was absolutely pristine. Hot, though - crazy hot for April. The one time I checked the temperature was late afternoon on Saturday and it read 87. According to the forecast, we'll be at 90 tomorrow. Crazy!
Crackerjack played soccer in all that heat, and, please allow me to brag for a moment - he scored his first ever goal! His team went on to win the game 7-2 and almost as exciting, he spotted a beaver in the woods on the walk back to the car. :)
So here we are at Monday again, and our week looks to be busy (again). The plan had been to dive right back into work this morning, but as soon as we'd finished math we couldn't help but gravitate outside. So I called it Nature Study in the backyard because a day like this is too good to pass up.
As I filled the birdfeeders, I noticed the cherry tree had buds and they look ready to pop.
The bleeding heart blossomed seemingly overnight:
The spruce tree sprouted purple-red coneberries all over its south-facing side. Crackerjack held a grown cone up for comparison.
Close-up of a coneberry (left) and coneflower (right).
(Note: I'm totally making those terms up - they just sound pretty):
The kids were digging in the dirt, noticing the difference in color. We have a lot of clay in our soil.
Bookworm found a sprouting maple seed way down inside the earth. We surmised it fell to the ground last fall, started to sprout recently and then got covered in soil at some point.
Lovely little fairy flowers in the sideyard.
The huge maple out front is blushing green and red:
Walking back from getting the mail I noticed a spider's web glistening in the sun. I gently tapped the edge of the web with a pine needle and was rewarded with a brief appearance by the spider itself. If you click open this picture you can see him heading back inside the boxwood bush.
A blue jay under the feeders. Something's up with the jays today - they are making some kind of racket. Screeches, calls, gurlges, clicks, etc. They're really fun to watch.
Before I go, let me share a few plans and goals for the week ahead:
Find time to write and outline for May-June, the last two months of our academic year.
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April is ending, May Day is upon us. Make jam-jar lanterns for cherry tree.
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Catch up on questions left by readers and make good on promised posts.
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Install remaining window screens; clean windowsills.
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Take down Easter garland; put up ivy and twine ball lights instead.
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Go see Monsters vs. Aliens with CJ's Boys' Club.
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Wash out and refill hummingbird feeders
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Blueberry smoothies for an alfresco breakfast on Friday (May Day).
Well, thanks for joining me here today. I hope your day's been as lovely as ours. :)
