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Thursday, May 10, 2012

This or That Thursday: eDition 27


Crab Apple Blossom


Our crab apple display seemed a little less brilliant this year, and the orchard where I took these photos last year still hadn't bloomed as of last week. Seems a bit delayed, I thought to myself. Then I read an article in a local paper about a heavy, damaging frost we had the week before. We have lots of years with a late frost so I never pay them no mind but it turns out that this one hit mostly apple blossoms. Some local area orchards were hit so hard, in fact, that they will have no apples come fall. Not a single fruit. Our food is a precious commodity that is far too often taken for granted and we'll be reminded of that dearly round these parts come fall.
After visiting for a few days, our geese family left but returned for a brief visit again this week. Their comings and goings caused quite a stir around the dinner table as we pondered just how they travel with all those chicks. They couldn't possibly walk from their nest to our pond and back again. Certainly, we would notice a geese family commuting around us? But the alternative seems even less plausible. Do they fly them in on their backs? How would the babies hang on? And, I've never seen the evidence of any fly by day mishaps, which would have to happen on occasion. It's a big mystery here at the old farmhouse!
The other mystery, of course, is the bees. Here they are working away last weekend at what I thought was building out comb and expanding their hive in the additional super I added in preparation for splitting the hive next week but it seems deep inside a plot was developing to usurp the authority of the beekeeper and move to a better hive. See yesterday's post for details of their attempted coup, the outcome of which is still up in the air. No pun intended.
I planted a few bags of tulip and daffodil bulbs last fall in front of the old farmhouse. They add so much colour and beauty to an area that really needed it and I enjoy them every day.  I've wondered to myself a few times why it took me three years to get around to planting them and I won't be letting another year go by without adding a few more here and there. Cheap thrills they are.
Speaking of cheap thrills, this one...the hunter of mice and moles around the old farmhouse, the beast who attacks an unsuspecting foot with the alacrity of any lioness in the grasslands, the one we call Ember-licious - gets her thrills, I discovered, by chasing.....butterflies.

Really Ember?

~Be well friends~

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Cottage Garden Party
Thursday Favorite Things


23 comments:

Tanya Breese said...

love that shot of your apple blossom! ha, my dog loves to chase any kind of bug :)

Vanessa said...

I truly enjoy stopping by and reading your post. They inspire me, they really do. Lovely post and I love your pictures as well. Have a great day. Happy Mother's Day!

Vanessa

Lynne said...

There is that book image coming to in to mind once again.

Robert McCloskey's Caldecott Award winner,
Make Way for Ducklings . . . (Illustrations . . . Sooo good!)

We received some of the frost. Stunted the growth of my Purple Plum . . . Plus my majestic Ostrich Ferns . . . Many are now black.

Apple farmers in their orchards around here have been running their sprinklers though the night to ward off the heavy frost . . .

cherry said...

What a beautiful blog and your pictures are awesome..
hugs, Cherry

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Great shots! Love that mama goose w/ her babies.

I wish I had bees!

Carolyn said...

Ember...I love cats, so smart! (except the butterfly part) beautiful picture of her.

The Crazy Cat Lady said...

LOL, I love it! Our cats chase the same things ~ there's been many a time we've rescued either a lizard or butterfly from the clutches, er, claws, of death. Love the pictures! Have a happy day!

Anonymous said...

look at those lil babies, terribly cuuute! =)
chasing flutterbies? nooo, kitty, Ember-licious, don't hurt the flutterbies! =0

Unknown said...

WOW, the first frame really lets your talent shine!!

TexWisGirl said...

i do hope your bees will be well. those goslings are adorable.

tiarastantrums said...

the little goslings are always so FLUFFY!!!!!!!!

Mary Gene Atwood said...

Beautiful crab apple, and the goslings are precious!

Heather said...

Love that first shot! Love it!

Brian King said...

Beautiful shots! The little goslings are so cute!

Unknown said...

Love this post! great photos and a little humour. I'm going to have to go see what those bees have been up to . . .

vintage grey said...

Beautiful photos!! Just love the one of Miss Ember!! ;) xo Heather

Deb said...

Great photos, great post. I love how tulips are a 'cheap thrill' and they really are!

Nancy said...

Your photos are taking me back about two months ago, when our tulips were blooming, as were the apple trees. So pretty! :)

Thank you for sharing at Rural Thursdays!

Elaine said...

Oh my goodness! The goslings are just adorable. I can't quit looking at that picture! lol

I found your blog on the Thursday Favorites Blog hop and I'm so glad I did....now following on GFC.

Hope you have a lovely Mother's Day Weekend!
Elaine :)

Fishtail Cottage said...

Thank you for linking up to the Cottage Garden Party over here at Fishtail Cottage! I love that shot of those little ducklings..so sweet! oxox, tracie

Michelle said...

Those goslings are so adorable. Keep us posted on the bee situation. I do hope things work out!

Katherines Corner said...

beautiful composition on the photos as always. Love them all! Thank you for your bloggy friendship and for joining in the hop. P.S. I posted a new giveaway today xo

~from my front porch in the mountains~ said...

Our felines love to chase the butterflies too! Especially Brutus!
Of course with fat feet and a jelly-belly he never catches any of those beauties!

O, and the geese use little duckling back-packs for the little's to sit in while they fly. Duh. :)

LYLAS!
xo, misha