Spring's Last Hurrah

 Mornings....

can be as different as night and day.  Friday, the sun rose and eventually cleared out the dragon's breath left behind by the previous night's ferocious storms.  The next three days brought cool, cloudless skies. So very strange - as so much of the country has been suffering intolerable heat.

Sunday morning we awoke to a brisk 50 degrees.  The weekend's temperatures remained in the 70's with variable winds.... so very Spring-like.

Today, however, is the final day of Spring.  Summer arrives tomorrow, and with it, much warmer days.

It's been so beautiful here these past several weeks... green and lush, with bright colored blossoms popping up here and there.

'The steep embankment that lies across the road and climbs upwards to the woods, is covered by wild roses.

Antique miniature roses with lush pink blossoms beckon to the pollinators - such a sweet fragrance fills the air.... irresistible to the bees.  The symbols of love and adoration, these wild roses are the embodiment of all that I feel for this farm!

Sunny peaceful mornings in the front pasture,

are followed by sunny, peaceful afternoons.

Lazy, blue-skied afternoons... perfect for communing with my friends.  My presence in the pasture draws a small crowd - dogs, cats and pigs.  MaryAnn walks over to say hello and immediately lies down on the ground.  She knows that in just a moment, there will be hands and paws massaging her.

First Moll jumps up on her and nestles in.  Then Pete comes along to see what's happening.

Moll hops down, 

and Pete considers taking her place.

Slowly, he climbs aboard, then exits off the other side.

Then Moll climbs aboard again. 

 So much feline traffic... 

but with each, MaryAnn gets a little massage - and so she doesn't complain but lies very still enjoying the attention.

The barn swallow babies have grown and are now overflowing the nest.  It won't be long before they fledge and begin flying around the dry lot, terrorizing the cats with their parents!

I updated the living room mantle for summer... adding a new picture that I painted this weekend... a couple of baseballs and an American flag add a bit of seasonal interest.