Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Seeing white, pink, lilac, yellow....and blue!

After many dreary days, today shone brightly! Sunshine and blue skies make such a difference to how things look on the outside and how things feel on the inside!

I could hardly contain myself ...gardening? walking? skipping around the garden in glee?  I did a bit of all that.

The mock orange bush near the front door is full of scented blooms ~

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The red oak is leafing ever so gently ~

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The lilac tree is in bud and I was able to catch a whiff of its special fragrance ~

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The daffodils in the back radiate with sunshine ~

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The winter pear is bountifully blessed with blossoms ~

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A minute ladybug (about half-size) on a golden plum leaf ~

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Here is a close-up ~
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Here are some interesting facts about ladybugs from this site.
• Because Ladybugs eat lots of aphids and other pest insects, many gardeners and farmers use them for pest control instead of chemicals.
• A Ladybug can lay up to 1000 eggs in its lifetime.
• Not all Ladybugs have spots.
• Ladybugs will clean themselves after a meal.
• Ladybugs come in many colors like pink, yellow, white, orange and black.
• Over 300 types of Ladybugs live in North America.
• Ladybugs make a chemical that smells and tastes bad so predators won’t eat them.
• Ladybugs hibernate in large groups in cold weather.
• Many countries consider a ladybug to be a sign of good luck.
• Ladybugs are actually beetles, so sometimes are called LadyBeetles.
• The bright colors of Ladybugs warn birds that they don’t taste good.
• The spots on a Ladybug fade as they get older


and a Robin was contemplating some pressing issues:

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I enjoyed reading about the American Robin's nest building process and the way it was presented on this site.

I found the following information on this site.

If you hear a robin early in the morning and it is singing, it is a male American robin. The female does make certain chirping sounds, but they are used for communication. She uses them to locate the male and to warn him of approaching predators. But the male is the song bird, and while the young robins are still in the nest, they will make loud chirping sounds along with the father.

About 4 p.m., it was so pleasant on the deck, I lounged with my ebook!! Ahhh, perfect...I decided to eat my supper out there too. The aroma of BBQ wafted through the air from somewhere else...

After supper, I went for a walk around the neighbourhood, accompanied by the melodic song of a House Finch.
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Pink blossoms contrasted beautifully with the blue sky background, although many petals were scattered like confetti, circling the curb with their prettiness.
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Fortunately, more of this kind of weather is forecast into the long weekend (Victoria Day is next Monday)...;)

Yay ~ Spring is back :)

8 comments:

  1. It is amazing how everything looks and feels so much more cheerful when the Sun makes an appearance after several dull days.

    I've never seen a ladybird without spots before.

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  2. A lovely colourful post which obviously reflects your sunshine delight!
    It seems rather odd to be seeing flowering daffodils when I'm now removing leaves that have died back.
    I saw a black ladybird with two spots last week which was somewhat different.
    Flighty xx

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  3. Fresh springy sights -- so lovely, Glo. It's like getting to hit the rewind button and see spring again. Lilacs are about done here for So Cal and daffs finished a bit ago. I bet your doorway is gorgeously fragrant with that mock orange.

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  4. What great Ladybug facts, thank you! And I can almost smell that Mock Orange. I love the colours in your post.

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  5. Wonderful, bright.. refreshing spring images. I hope you enjoy your long weekend. Keep that camera busy! :)

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  6. So glad to see that Spring has terurned to your neck of the woods. Enjoyed your pics very much & the knowledge that I'm not the only one who indulges in a bit of skipping in the garden from time to time.

    From this post I get the distinct impression that our Glo is Glowing!

    Yolanda XXX

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  7. Hi John ~ Indeed the sun has made all the difference ~ it has been a treat for the past couple of days. I didn't realize that ladybirds can be different colours as well as having no spots!

    Hi Flighty ~ Delightful it is! Yes, you had such an early warm spring compared to ours, and the daffodils that are blooming came up a bit later than the others as well. Amazing the different appearances ladybirds can have!

    Hi Nikki ~ How pleasant to share my spring with you and it's true, you get to experience it twice! The lilacs are just heavenly here, but although yours are finished, you have roses!! There's a wonderful scent outside for sure, with the mock orange and lilac in the front.

    Hi Mo ~ Glad you enjoyed the colours and the scented Mock Orange I posted just for you :) Always something new to learn, that's for sure, and some of the ladybird facts were new to me too.

    Hi Hilary ~ Glad to share west coast spring with you :) It has been a glorious couple of days, and I've thoroughly enjoyed them. This long weekend seems to have plenty of people thinking of summer!

    Hi Yolanda ~ So pleased to see you :) My Bliss daffodils I planted because of your planted spring carpet and blooming still! My spirits are still skipping through the garden even though it is nighttime ;) Glowing is what I'm doing!

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  8. I particularly like your Ladybug, Glo. Is it one without spots? I'm not sure I've ever seen a spotless one! Thank you for visiting my blog.

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