Sprung

 Spring has finally sprung here in Minnesota.  The warm temperatures this week made everything pop out of dormancy.  Green is all over...and pollen coats most surfaces outside. 

The Chokecherry's are blooming.

They begin  to bloom as tiny white dots.

Oh and the Oaks...we call the stringy male things ...danglies. 

Pollen filled...uffda.  The wind carries the pollen to the female trees so acorns can form.  The danglies fall to the ground when they are dried up and spent...they are messy but the lawn mower mulches them up nicely. 

It is not an easy time for Far Guy...he is still fighting a respiratory exacerbation...now he has pollen,  wildfire smoke and ozone to contend with.  We hope for rain to stop the fires and clear the air of smoke and pollen.   He is back on a different antibiotic.  Needless to say he is discouraged. 

Supper last night was a steakburger, carrots and tator rounds. 

Weather yesterday;  87 F or 31 C eh.  Sunny and warm, we watched a few thunderheads go by in the afternoon.  One more day of warmish weather and we are to get cooler temperatures and a chance of rain. 

Far Side

Spring might be here

 We went for a Ranger Blue ride and the Marsh Marigolds  better known as Butter Cups, Cowslips or really Caltha palustris are beginning to bloom.

The pussy willows are pretty much done. 

Their pollen has been collected or dispersed into the air.  Sneeze.

The sun was out yesterday... Far Guy woodcarved for a bit and enjoyed the warm sunshine.  Our high temperature was 80 F or 27 C eh!  I gave the kitchen floor a good scrub and did some laundry. We ran an errand to town to get a bunch of stuff for our projects this week and then we went to our favorite out on the patio Sunday dining Mexican place for  lupper.  The food was just as good as last year, although our favorite waitress is no longer working there...I know as I asked the owner. 

We came home to read and nap. That was enough activity for the elderly.

Far Side

Thoughts

 I found this photo in my archives.  Our fields look similar today...but it was warm so much of our snow has melted. 

There are Sandhill Cranes in the background with Trumpeter Swans and Canada Geese out front.

My thoughts...I like birds...they do not have "stuff"...they have what they need to get along day by day.  Three different species of birds all getting along in the same area...

maybe people could learn from birds. 

Happy Spring!

Far Side

Trillium

 The Trillium are in bloom. 

Such pretty blooms.

There is a Large - Flowered Bellwort in the photo too...the yellow flower above the left bloom. 

Fun to see the Spring Wildflowers bloom one by one. 

Far Side

A bird and blooms

 I finally caught a Oriole at the Grape Jelly!  Such pretty birds that only stick around here to eat and rest before heading North.  He is in the orange feeder. 

\

Our Oaks are leafing out more every day...it is not deep shade yet. 

The Red Elderberries are blooming.

The flowers are upright...Hummingbirds and Butterflies visit the flowers.   Birds eat the red berries when they are ripe. The red berries have seeds that are poisonous.  This is NOT the Elderberry that wine is made from ...those berries are purple when ripe. 

Steve and Jo's Lilacs.

I mowed for a couple of hours yesterday between the rain showers.   If we get rain mowing is almost a full time job in May and June.  Far Guy had his infusion and I ran errands in town. 

Far Side

Ferns

 Nothing better in the Spring than to see the striking green color of ferns that survive our Minnesota winters! 

It helps that we are getting rain:)

Far Side

Thornapple

 We have this bush in our side yard just on the edge of the woods.  Far Guy uses the twigs for stems of his wood carved flowers. 

If you ever walked in the woods you would know it if you brushed up against this bush. 

It is about ready to flower.  Note the thorn? 

It is also called Hawthorn or Maythorn ....but we call it Thornapple. 

Here you can see lots of those thorns. They stick out every which way. 

Far Side

Spring has sprung

 The Marsh Marigolds are blooming.  

Tractors are in the fields. 

Far Guy saw two rabbits in the yard yesterday so maybe we will have lots of little bunnies running around before long! 

The Pin Cherries are in bloom...all signs of Spring here in Minnesota. 

We are also getting wild fire smoke from the neighbors up North. 

Far Side

Oak Buds and More

 The Oaks are budding out...the ones high in the trees show up nicely against the sky. 

Here are some buds close up.

Awesome start on their way to the leaves that make our yard cooler in the summer. 

Far Guy's Doctor wanted him to be seen in the ER yesterday, we spent the afternoon there, he had a CAT scan and it was revealed that he has a 3 mm stone about to dump into his bladder....from there he should be able to pass it on out.  It all takes time and lots of water. He got some pain meds that seem to take the edge off the pain.   One day at a time. 

Yesterday the stove guy came and looked over our new stove situation, he had to order some special venting so maybe if the part comes and all goes well we can cook on the new stove tonight!!

Real exciting things happening at our place!

Far Side

Kidney stones oh my

 Far Guy  is having a bout with kidney stones...his first experience.   I told him it is worse than labor pains.  We will head to the clinic today...to see if they can figure out if it is small enough to pass. 

I drink lemonade most all of the time to help dissolve my stones should I have any...I am a stone maker, as are our daughters.  

I keep telling Far Guy he will live...

We had beautiful weather yesterday, the evening was perfect 66 degrees and a slight breeze.   I sat outside for awhile...heard the Loons calling down on the lake. 

I put out a whirly gig.

I got all my new solar lights out ready to replace the non working ones. 

Far Side

Warming up

 They said on the local news/weather that yesterday May 3 was the warmest day since November 1st 2022.  We may have been close to 70 F or 22 C eh!

We went for a Ranger Blue ride to see where they were cutting down trees...the trees West and a bit North of us are getting another trim.  

The Marsh Marigolds/Cowslips are up but not blooming yet. 

We had a nice ride.   The skeeters are huge and they are thirsty as I discovered when I sat outside enjoying the warm weather and the extended daylight.

There is still snow in the woods. 

I picked up twigs in the yard and raked a bit.  June is shrinking. 

Far Side

Swans

The  Trumpeter Swans are finding food and puddles in the fields. 

 

There is still snow in the shade and in the trees.  More snow is forecast for today. 

It might warm up next week.

Far Side

Surprises!

 A package in the mail from South Dakota! 

Sara writes a blog called My Sewing Room and sews some lovely things and I admired the cat fabric she chose for this bag!  The bag has three zippered compartments inside. It is the perfect carry along that will hold numerous things!  Thank you Sara!

Another nice surprise was that Spring has arrived momentarily with the Pussy Willows.

We are not holding our breath on Springs arrival as Winter will be back in a few days with snow. 

Far Side

Out and about

We went for a Ranger Blue ride.  Looks like a beaver has moved in down at the Dead Beaver Area...unless he has been trapped.  The river is up a bit. 

The snow is melting slowly.   It was a great evening for a ride.  We could smell smoke as soon as we left our house...we confirmed that it was stumps burning a mile west of us.

They had all winter to burn the darn things...I suppose they will smolder for days. 

We are happy to put this week of appointments behind us and look forward to staying out of Clinics for a few days. 

Far Guy is still struggling with shortness of breath and some congestion...I have one eye on him. He had lung function tests this week and is at 20% lung function.  He has been worse and he has been better.  One day at a time. 

Far Side

Storm Day One

 It was supposed to start snowing about noon and it began about 9 AM.  Far Guy had an appointment at the Clinic, I dropped him off and ran a few errands.  We were back home before noon when it began to snow really hard. 

We had a quiet afternoon and a nap.  I shoveled the walk twice.   The second time I used my Power Shovel!

So far it looks to be about four maybe five inches of new snow and it is still coming down and blowing around.

June is looking like a mountain.  

I can hardly wait to see what day two or day three brings.

My baby brother had back surgery in Fargo yesterday and reports that he has no more back pain which is a huge relief for him.  He will be there a few more days in the blizzard.  Glad his surgery was scheduled on day one of the storm as so many things are cancelled and roads closed. 

Far Side

Mixed Up

 My footwear is not the only thing mixed up.  Any shoe will do. 

I wanted to show you what Spring looks like here and grabbed my slipper, couldn't find the matching slipper so I grabbed one of Far Guys old shoes that he gave Sadie...at least they were opposite feet. 

Spring missed the memo that it was time to arrive.  I took this photo yesterday about an hour after Spring officially arrived.  Spring is bringing us a couple more inches of snow this week.  Spring does not care that we are tired of snow.  Spring is mixed up. 

Far Side

Double Flowering Plum

 Everything is just a little late blooming this year. 

The Double Flowering Plum is finally blooming. 

Last year these blooms appeared May 15...so everything is about ten days behind last year.   It gets no plums...just blooms. 

Oh well at least there are pretty blooms to enjoy as the rest of the world is filled with hate and discontent.

Far Side

What's new?

 We had a busy day; Andy, Jen, Noah and Sadie came to visit.  They helped move a few things from my parents home to their apartment...Mom has about one more load and the house will be cleared out.   Many hands make short work of a project. 

Sadie ran around in our yard curious about all the smells new to her.   She didn't like the bear doorstop in the bathroom...she came over to Noah and barked...a very scary bear...Chance didn't like it either but he got used to it. 

Far Guy and I had a nap got up and cooked some bacon and eggs for supper and then went for a Ranger Blue trail ride. 

I can report that the skeeters are out...horrid little buggers. 

The Large Flowered Bellwort is in bloom, it is a native to Minnesota plant.

The Ferns have begun to unfurl.

We saw a pair of Swans on Elbow Lake and several pair of Swans on Guyles Lake.  Saw a Porkypine sauntering across the road.   And a few deer...

This deer was trimming brush.

Far Side

Golden Sunset

 We had a very golden sunset.  

We went for a ride after supper but headed home before sunset.  So I took this photo in the yard. 

We both have busy days, I am still helping my parents sort through "stuff"  and Far Guy is busy with his old car Tilly and some yard work.  He has also been the cook.   I am tired when I get home.

Gas made a big jump yesterday it is now $4.19 a gallon. 

Far Side

Gift of Spring

 The Double Flowering Plum is just beautiful! 

 It flowers first and then gets leaves.   It really needs a good trim...after it blooms. 

The flowers are like tiny roses. 

It is one of the gifts of Spring. 

Rain we need rain.  It could rain for a week and it still wouldn't be enough.  

Far Side