Late Spring Field Day

Tomorrow, Dawn, from By Sun and Candlelight , is hosting a late spring field day. I have been working on my post and wanted to get it up today. Spring seemed very hard to come by this year. As you can see in our post for the Early Spring Field Day, upstate New York doesn't give up winter very easily,



but finally, the warm sun does begin to shine, and its warmth seems to renew us.

Seemingly overnight, the landscape turns green and living things seem to appear where ever we look.

We enjoy walking the woods and fields behind the house and looking for any nature that we can find. The butterflies have returned. Above is a Mourning Cloak butterfly.

We glanced out the back window one morning and our hummingbirds were back. Amy was quick to set up their feeder so they would stay near.

We spied a Baltimore Oriole nesting in Grandpa's maple tree.

The Red Admiral butterfly has appeared. It is the butterfly we see the most at this time of year.

The dandelions have past through one generation all ready. The kids have fun blowing the fluff around, making sure there are plenty of seeds for more dandelions.

The flowers, with every bright color, are appearing in every field and yard. We found this golden ragwort by the creek near Grandma's house. Also, below, is Grandma's purple iris. I can smell it just looking at this picture.

Even "summer" flowers, like the oxeyed daisies below are blooming.

New life is even in our backyard, where the house sparrows have hatched.
The spring peepers have made way for the croaking of the bullfrog. Mark spied him in the creek out back.

Spring also means many other things to this family.

It means beautiful young women and handsome young men heading out for fancy dances.

It means, little boys catching the first fish of the season.

Late spring means baseball games.

Late spring means the temperature getting hot enough for baby boys to play in the sunshine out of doors.

May 2nd we took this picture from the hill in back of our house. There was a hint of green becoming visible.

Three weeks later, the green has burst forth and there is even a haze in the air.

We are ready now, to head into summer.