Birds and Blooms

I went out to the back yard yesterday, to try to get a few photos of the blooms that are finally making their appearance. Overhead, I heard the irritated call of a blackbird, apparently scolding me for intruding into its territory.

By the time the shutter had clicked, the bird was gone. There were no second chances, but I was pleased with the first one and most likely couldn't have done better.

These beautiful tulips are in our neighbor's yard.

This is a cluster of blossoms on the crab apple tree. This tree normally turns so brilliantly white with spring blossoms that we can barely stand to look at it without sun glasses. So far this year, though, there are just clusters here and there. I'm afraid it may not produce much fruit to see the birds and squirrels through the next winter.

This is the apple tree that was pruned by our young neighbor a couple of months ago. It is full of blossoms and the promise of many apples. Our neighbor should be pleased.

This is a bonus photo...not taken in our back yard but in the yard of friends last Saturday. I had gone to their house to help with a garage sale. This fellow came to keep us company during a lull in garage sale traffic.

We waited so long for spring to arrive; and, when it did, it came in with temperatures in the mid to upper eighties. The blooming things are going crazy this week, trying to make up for lost time. Here's one last picture...this time from our gorgeous azalea bush.