Friday, March 21, 2008

Springing into Easter!

Doesn't it seem strange to have Good Friday fall on the day after Spring begins?
Last year the first day of Spring was March 21st, and 16 days later we had Good Friday. Easter is an early bird this year!


These delightful daffodils have now brightened the house for the third week! I put them out on our unheated, covered side porch, where we can see them through the kitchen windows, and at least half of them are still looking good. It's like keeping them in the refrigerator.


We've had wintery weather for most of the week, with a frigid wind blowing snow horizonally across the landscape these past couple of days, and rain on Wednesday. There've been short periods of sunshine, but it's hard to remember them....they seem so few and far between. However, as we hear the news of people drowning in floods, and others suffering damage to their homes in the southern part of the country our hearts go out to these families, and we count our blessings.

On Saint Patrick's Day I found a few more signs of Spring outside. The lilacs are budding in the above photo.....

......and the Maple has pretty red buds too.


This is what the Forsythia looks like. My husband planted 3 of these shrubs about 4 years ago and we've barely seen a bloom yet. We're hoping this will be the year that the bright yellow blooms will announce the arrival of spring. The calendar says it's here, but Mother Nature has other plans apparently, unpredictable prankster that she is. Posted by Picasa

The red-winged black birds are frequent visitors to the feeders now, and if you enlarge this photo you'll see a female cowbird has joined this group. The males showed up the next day.


I managed to snap a picture just as this male redwing was fluffing his wings, and caught the colors, but unfortunately, not his head.

The grackles arrive shortly after the redwings and want more than their share...or so it seems. They're known as the "bully birds", and are not quite as welcome as the smaller birds. In fact we'd rather they stayed away, but their colors are lovely nonetheless.


Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal come early in the morning for their breakfast. They're always polite, and don't overstay their welcome :)


The spring flowers in the house are fading, and it's high time for those outdoor blooms to receive some warmer temperatures and sunshine. They need the help to stir themselves and spring into action as they try to catch up with their precocious southern and western cousins. Posted by Picasa

My dear husband noticed a shaft of sunlight falling across the daffodils on St. Patty's Day (yes, we had a bit of sunshine on Monday!) and thought I should take a photo of them. So I did. I'm glad he pointed that out so I didn't miss the moment :)

I hope each and every one of you has a very happy and blessed Easter! Posted by Picasa

30 comments:

Anonymous said...[Reply]

That was a beautiful post and thank you. Happy Easter back at cha. I read your profile and found it fascinating. I can also see how far along with spring we are compared to you. I'm down in mid NC. My husband and I were stationed at West Point for a few years. It is beautiful up in your state.

Unknown said...[Reply]

Lovely, lovely post, Kerri. I know you're winter-weary too, but I'm greatly encouraged by the sight of your buds and blooms, AND the grackles. The redwings arrived a couple of weeks ago--the males did--and some robins, but not grackles yet. There are still lots of eagles, too; though some stay yearround, the vast majority head for summer quarters in Cape Breton. We'll make it. Wishing you a peaceful and joyous Easter (and some warmth..and a few exclamation points, too!) (really, really big grin here).

Barbara said...[Reply]

Happy Easter to you too! Spring has definitely arrived also in your garden as I see in your pictures.
Have a good time, Kerri!
Barbara

Lisa at Greenbow said...[Reply]

Kerri I hope you have a Blessed Easter too. Spring is creeping its way toward your area. Hang in there it won't be long and you will have daffodils outside blooming and all the sunshine you could want.

Carol Michel said...[Reply]

Happy Easter! I am also enjoying some daffodils inside, purchased at work for a fund raiser. Mine opened fast, and I'm afraid they won't last long, so your tip to put them in a cool place is timely. I don't have a cool room so maybe I'll just put them in the garage at night.

Spring will creep its way faster now, I hope!

Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...[Reply]

It looks like you are enjoying an indoor spring with so many lovely srping blooms Kerri! Here it is cold too at the mo and very wet. Perhaps we'll even have a white Easter this year.

A happy and blessed Easter to you and yours!

Cherdecor said...[Reply]

How I wish I had some daffodils blooming but I think they will miss Easter. I have some in a pot on the back porch and I watch them through the kitchen window but so far, it looks like they may bloom next week. UGH! Oh well.....

Your daffodils are absolutely gorgeous! I do love the spring flowers so much!

Happy Easter from our house to yours!

Susie said...[Reply]

Hi Kerri,
My daffodils are all done blooming! My lilac is getting ready to bloom though, which is one of my special favorites. Easter is so early this year that everything seems a bit off schedule (or maybe it's just me!)
Hope you and Ross have a blessed Easter celebration.
love and hugs!
xoxo

Giddy said...[Reply]

Hi Kerri, and a very happy Easter to you.

Your sunshine yellow daffodils are heartwarming. Heaven knows, we need *something* warm up here, don't we?

Needled Mom said...[Reply]

Kerri, the daffodils are beautiful - especially the one with the sun's rays shining on them. Great picture!

The birds all look so content. Wish that we had cardinals here as they are stunning. Our orioles did return on the 20th this year and always amaze me with their bright yellow color.

I hope that your Forsythia produces blooms for you this year. They are so pretty.

A blessed Easter to you and your family.

Midlife Mom said...[Reply]

That splash of yellow is so nice, I can't imagine the daffodils lasting so long but like you said it's like being in the refrigerator. We still have lots and lots of snow. Just heard that northern Maine has gotten 189 inches of snow this winter so far. We have a little over 100 here in central Maine. It's been rather windy and cold but the sun has been out today warming the sunroom so we have been enjoying that.

Have a wonderful Easter!

Anonymous said...[Reply]

Happy Easter to you too, Kerri. Your post is like an Easter basket full of spring sights (except the grackles, which we have year round). I love those daffodils especially.

Anonymous said...[Reply]

No wonder it is so cold this Easter. I thought it seemed early. Your daffs are beautiful:). Hope you have a Happy Easter Kerri!



sandys2.wordpress.com

Annie in Austin said...[Reply]

Your indoor gardens are beautiful, Kerri, even if the outdoor scene is still wintry. In Illinois the forsythia shrubs lived through very cold temperatures of 25 below zero Fahrenheit, but the buds were always killed if the winter nights dipped to around minus 12F. Then only the buds below the snow line lived long enough to open.

You and Ross make a great team - that's a wonderful photo of the sunlight on the daffodils. So much of the joy in life comes from paying attention, doesn't it?

Happy Easter to you and yours,

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Amy said...[Reply]

That last daffodil photo is just stunning! Have a wonderful, blessed Easter :)

Robin's Nesting Place said...[Reply]

Kerri, I enjoyed your bird pictures,
and your indoor blooms.

I hope you have a wonderful Easter.

Christy Woolum said...[Reply]

Happy Easter! Will we ever see our forsythia blooming or tulips coming up? We had snow again yesterday!

HORIZON said...[Reply]

Happy Easter Kerri.
Love that pic with daffs and the sunlight.
l agree with you that Easter is early this year. l have been busy in the garden this weekend so little blogging time. Wee S is having a ball and enjoying the chocolate- l've been helping him out :) Hugs and bests xx

verobirdie said...[Reply]

Happy easter to you too!
I've enjoyed your birds pictures very much.

Lia said...[Reply]

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies." John 11:25
I wish you a Happy Easter!

Tabor said...[Reply]

That is a great idea. Maybe I will put daffodils on my deck in a sheltered nook next spring and enjoy them through the window...of course I have to plant the daffodils this fall!

Jellyhead said...[Reply]

This is such a bright and happy and Easter-ish post Kerri! Those daffodils are amazing.

Happy easter, friend!

Lisa said...[Reply]

the pic of the sun shining on the daffodils turned out beautful! I will send good thoughts your way for sunshine and more blooms in your yard. They'll all be here... soon... I promise you that. ;)

Anonymous said...[Reply]

Spring is slow to visit me also! I think I will go buy some daffodils! I hope you had a warm and wonderful Easter!

Anonymous said...[Reply]

Kerri, sounds like we are having the same kind of weather. I saw a the first robin in my yard on Easter morning, but it didn't stay around. Neither did the flock of grackles and redwings arriving later in the day.

That shot of daffodils against the dark background is stunning. Hope they last a good long while for you.

joey said...[Reply]

Thank you for inviting us into your lovely space, Kerri, and for the kind visit to mine.

Catherine said...[Reply]

Hi Kerri,
We all have the winter blues! But Spring is slowly making herself known! Lovely daffodils~they make up for the lack of sunshine~great idea putting them on your un-heated covered porch so they last longer & you can still enjoy them through your windows!! Beautiful captures of the birds & gorgeous flowers! And I loved your signs of spring!
Great post!
Cat

Cris said...[Reply]

Everything was so early this year that I forgot to celebrate a few things, like Water day was on the 22nd and I forgot all about it until I saw signs on the street, then it was too late. These are beautiful Kerri. You have a maple tree!!! I don't think we have them here and it causes such a stir when we see one! Love your bird pictures, I think that when I first arrived here you also had bird pictures, so that probably was a year ago. And it's Autumn here now, we have been getting chilly evenings. xoxox

Chica, Cienna, and Cali said...[Reply]

Mr and Mrs Cardinal are precious....and that patch of sunlight on daffodils is beautiful..why does my husband never point such things to me...brat that he is, every time i complain i have nothing to click, he'd point at the boring blue sky and go "my oh my!such beautiful sky! you sure you dont wanna click those!"....haha!!!! guess he'll mellow down with age!!! ;DDD

Alice said...[Reply]

I hope you and Ross had a very happy and Blessed Easter, Kerri.

Isn't the yellow of the daffodils just the most welcome sight. Even on a cold wet day it's a reminder that Spring will arrive before too long.