And who better to welcome everyone along for the walk than the frog king! Frogs/toads are standard yard ornaments, along with snails, little heads, cupids, butterflies, even
dinosaurs and
scorpions. Among the missing: cats, dogs and horses. Don't understand why.
This property recently changed hands; the new owners made sure that these pleasant steps and little rock wall are now visible for passers-by.
On a more untouched street, I found this patch revealed when someone removed a rather large stone. Somebody's home stands naked! Ants? Beetles?
The first iris of the season, poking through a chain link fence. Guess you'd call this "ordinary cultivated iris"; whatever the name, it is well adapted to our climate and spotty rainfall. I've seen happy clumps of iris blooming on properties where the house must have burned down 50 or so years ago. Our native iris grow in seasonal streambeds and lakes at higher elevations.
Hard to photograph: the delicate little lavender mustard flowers that are among the earliest plants to blossom. In a big patch, the scent is almost too heady to bear.
Another spring herald -- one of several locally growing fleabanes, this plant with more of a lavender tinge than most.
Yet another bright harbringer of spring, the ubiquitous dandelion.
It wasn't all Nature on my walk. Here's a somewhat strange version of the "my kid is superior/above average at XYZ school" bumper sticker that almost every parent's car bears in this town (and I suppose most towns these days of self-esteem at all costs.)
Finally... I really do admire this bike for its excellent collection of stickers!
And who better to welcome everyone along for the walk than the frog king! Frogs/toads are standard yard ornaments, along with snails, little heads, cupids, butterflies, even dinosaurs and scorpions. Among the missing: cats, dogs and horses. Don't understand why.
This property recently changed hands; the new owners made sure that these pleasant steps and little rock wall are now visible for passers-by.
On a more untouched street, I found this patch revealed when someone removed a rather large stone. Somebody's home stands naked! Ants? Beetles?
The first iris of the season, poking through a chain link fence. Guess you'd call this "ordinary cultivated iris"; whatever the name, it is well adapted to our climate and spotty rainfall. I've seen happy clumps of iris blooming on properties where the house must have burned down 50 or so years ago. Our native iris grow in seasonal streambeds and lakes at higher elevations.
Hard to photograph: the delicate little lavender mustard flowers that are among the earliest plants to blossom. In a big patch, the scent is almost too heady to bear.
Another spring herald -- one of several locally growing fleabanes, this plant with more of a lavender tinge than most.
Yet another bright harbringer of spring, the ubiquitous dandelion.
It wasn't all Nature on my walk. Here's a somewhat strange version of the "my kid is superior/above average at XYZ school" bumper sticker that almost every parent's car bears in this town (and I suppose most towns these days of self-esteem at all costs.)
Finally... I really do admire this bike for its excellent collection of stickers!
The fleabanes look most similar to our 'everlastings'. They're shades of pink to white and dry nicely, hence the name?
ReplyDeleteWe're having the first session of the year in our bit of bush this Skunday, naturally showers are predicted.
Hermano
Hello, bro -- the fleabanes are a different animal from the everlastings, which we have as a cultivated plant. Like many wildflowers, they start wilting the moment they are picked. As for your showers, why not send some our way???
ReplyDelete*Self-esteem at all costs.*
ReplyDeleteThat's an exceedingly fine turn of phrase, there.
Excellent post. Loved the pictures along the walk. It takes a little time for our flora to get in step.
ReplyDeletek -- I find the idea of a cashier who can't make proper change but who enjoys high self-esteem to be not just absurd but dangerous to our future as a nation.
ReplyDeleteSteve -- glad to have you along on all my walks. Spring is a neat season up here in the hills, tho today we have big winds that are presumably going to bring us snow "at higher elevations." I'll believe it when I have to dry my shoes.
You have a capacity for finding the delightful amongst everyday things - I enjoyed our walk together very much.
ReplyDeleteAvus -- what I've found is that the everyday stuff is extraordinary in its own way, if you're really looking. Just as my late husband & I found that ordinary "white bread" (ugly phrase, that!) people are all strange in their own individual ways.
ReplyDeleteAmendment -- I meant wonderfully strange...
ReplyDelete