Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Spring is Busting Out All Over

Design - "Follow Your Heart"
Designer - Ewe & Eye & Friends
Fabric - 36 count Summer Khaki Edinborough linen
Fibers - GAST & WDW - 1 strand over 2 threads
Started - 23 February 2014
Completed - 28 February 2014 

The heart was charted with black 'speckles' - I changed them to WDW's "Bordeaux'.

Song Sparrow

It's a day worth singing about!  It's 66f so there's no need for anything more than the lightest of sweaters.  Let's take a walk.

I found a new Pussy Willow!

This shrub is leafing out.

The Big Creek is roaring along.

And look at the change in the Osoberries (Indian Plums) in just one week's time!

They've leafed out and begun to bloom!  As I said they are the first native shrub to flower in the spring. 

I've been hearing a chorus of frogs the last few days, so I walked over to the Quarry Pond to take a look.  While the frogs all hopped into the water before I could take a picture, the Tadpoles didn't seem to mind being photographed.  I think all of these are invasive Bullfrogs rather than any of our native frogs.

And look who is back after a winter's rest!  The turtles were soaking up the sun.

Many of the bog plants are shooting up.
Camas (Camassia quamash) and...

...the vibrantly green poisonous Corn Lily (Veratrum viride).

One week later I was able top figure out last week's 'Mystery Plant'.

It was a Small Flowered Trillium (Trillium parviflorum).  There are dozens of them scattered in the shade of the forest floor.

Many of the Trilliums are scattered along the banks of our portion of the Big Creek. They like shade and moisture.

So does Licorice ferns. You can see the cinnamon colored dots that are the spores of the plant.

The first mottled leaves of the Oregon Fawn Lily (Erythronium oregonum) are up.  My family has always called them Lamb's Tongues.

The Grand Hound's Tongue (Cynoglossum grande) is growing apace!

So here's a new "Mystery Flower'.  What a tiny sweet little thing. 

We'll end the walk with a sweet smelling surprise!
A wild violet!

Looking at my blog posts from 2013, the spring flowers are about two week's earlier this year than they were last year! 

20 comments:

linda said...

A wonderful walk in the woods; thank you. I especially enjoyed the pussy willow and violet.

Barb said...

Is there any thing prettier than a morning walk in the Spring? Thanks for taking me on yours!!

Barb said...

Nice pictures. Some day we will get spring! It's warming up to upper 20's and low 30's later this week so there's hope for us!

Carol said...

Your spring is two weeks earlier--ours will be two weeks later (at least!!)... Loved your spring walk--especially those funny turtles :)

Vickie said...

Wonderful! Oh how I long for Spring.

Margaret said...

66 degrees, huh? Wish I were there. Beautiful pictures of green and growing things. Much needed here.

Wanda said...

Beth, what a cute heart! I loved the walk and the lovely taste of spring!

LaNelle said...

Lovely pictures....what a beautiful area you have to enjoy all of nature!

Brigitte said...

Wonderful pictures of all the signs of spring around you.

Mouse said...

ooooo I enjoyed the walk today .... lovely to see the difference in the growth and gorgeous flowers ....the wee mystery flower is a lovely colour and looks like a wild geranium? hope we have some nice weather over the weekend I might be able to get out and about too :) love mouse xxxxx

Annette-California said...

So many wonderful photos. LOVE the wild violet and Pretty heart sampler. The burgundy looks great instead of the black.
love Annette

Giovanna said...

Very pretty heart finish - congrats! And thanks for sharing the lovely pictures of Nature's awakening.

Chris said...

Oh Spring! I am looking forward to it. We are supposed to get some more freezing stuff tonight. I hope that this is the last of it :)

Sherry said...

Thank you for sharing your walk! I enjoyed seeing everything coming back to life! I love the Lamb's Tongue.

Tea said...

My cat loves the sun too. She spreads herself out and drinks it in. Makes me want to do the same think. I love Mourning Doves, the color, don't know why. Like your Whimsical Heart.

Andrea said...

Oh the wonderful signs of Spring. That sparrow is singing it's heart out. Lovely stitching finish too.

Pam in IL said...

It's so nice to see spring is happening somewhere. We've had another 10 inches of snow this week. Follow Your Heart turned out great!

Maggee said...

Follow your heart is going to be cute on next year's header! The turtles look like they are smiling! Thanks for the walk... feel so refreshed now!

Melody said...

What great signs of Spring! Love seeing the turtles and tadpoles. I also love the wild violets. We will have purple ones and white ones in our yard when Mother Nature finally cooperates with warmer temps...

Maggee said...

Reading these posts makes me SO want to go walking in a park, but... now it's allergy season. Have to live vicariously through your blogposts for now! Love the turtles! And the mystery flower... can't wait to find out what it is.