The vernal equinox was on March 20, and I think our cherry trees knew. The day before, their buds burst. It was only a light smattering of flowers in their lower branches at first. Then on Sunday, most of the buds except the ones at the crown popped open. Last night, the last of the crown buds transformed into beautiful blush-white blooms. I snapped these pictures yesterday (before the crown buds burst) and noticed a few dozen bees alighting on the flowers to gather pollen. Today, when I stood beneath the trees, I heard the droning “Zzzzzzz zzzzz zzzzzz,” of what must be a hundred bees visiting our earliest spring-time blooms. None of the trees in our yard except the evergreens have any leaves yet, but I did spy a few with binoculars that are unfurling at the crown of one of our poplar trees. And the goldfinches that visit our seed feeder are in the process of molting their beige feathers for the brilliant golden ones that give them their name. Just when I thought I couldn’t stand one more morning of frost and chill, spring is finally here!
{Pic-47}: A bee visits one of the cherry blossoms in our yard.
{Pic-48}: Waking up to these blooms bursting open was quite a sight for my winter-weary eyes.
{Pic-49}: Three large cherry trees line our driveway.
What a lovely driveway! I’d imagine the new place has been growing on you, eh?
You look to be about a month or so ahead of us, but at least our red-wings and grackles are back and the woodcocks are peenting in the fence rows.
Gosh, I don’t think I could wait another month for spring! We’re a few weeks behind Charlotte because we’re so much higher, so when we’ve gone down the mountain I get jealous of their greenery. Last weekend we climbed up Mt. Mitchell on our bikes (highest point on East Coast), and it is definitely still winter up there. Snow in the ditches and everything. I’m still not used to this whole elevation thing…