This was the first day of 2023 when it was pleasant to be out in just a couple of light layers, and we have flowers, and I have a camera and a blog, so obviously flowersharing is gonna happen.
The big story is the first daffodil.
This is not a real full-sized daffodil, but a sort of microdaff. The big ones will be along later.
The observant reader will have noticed that crocuses are still blooming. No kidding!
What actually excites me more is that the mighty magnolia is getting ready to go. It is a mass of buds, and pretty soon quite a few of them will be bulging out of their little bodices and showing a hint of pink. Today I found only one in that winsome condition.
And hey look, that bud has a little buddy. [rimshot]
While I was oozing around the magnolia looking for angles, the cat came out to help; she entirely loves being out in the yard with a human who’s gardening or photographing or whatever.
She’s halfway up the magnolia tree. Note the Birdsbesafe collar. I can offer a personal testimonial: This elegant calico is the worst kind of bird-slaughterer, will pick up several per week if unimpeded, and apparently a bell on her collar does not impede. But not a single bird has died since we put this on her. Apparently birds are visual creatures.
But today my favorite flowers were in this little cluster, coming over the fence from the neighbors’ place; no idea what they are.
Hey folks, the world’s in terrible shape but Spring is still on the way.
Comment feed for ongoing:
From: Michael Loukides (Mar 18 2023, at 20:03)
Noticed today (before reading this) that we still had crocuses blooming in Connecticut. Other side of the continent!
And yes, birds are VERY visual. What amazes me is that they see colors we don't have; their vision extends well into the ultraviolet. Though I bet that collar works for much a much simpler reason: the cat can't blend into the background.
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From: Paul Clapham (Mar 18 2023, at 21:53)
We planted some crocuses last year and they are just coming up now. But they are in a north-facing location so they are heavily shaded by the house. So, fingers crossed!
And thank you for the cat's collar. Usually when somebody says "My cat doesn't catch birds" the response is "How do you know that?" But you have before-and-after data and a scientific study on the collar as well, so good on ya.
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From: Rob (Mar 19 2023, at 11:37)
You know, one of these days the trees are going to wake up and start taking extreme closeups of *our* genitalia... I mean you're not going to argue with an ent about it, are you?
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From: Rob Muir (Mar 25 2023, at 16:44)
That last one looks very much like a winter viburnum:
https://www.gardenia.net/plant/viburnum-bodnantense-dawn-arrowwood
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