I took these photos last year on May 4, 2014. The beautiful Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly was enjoying nectar from a tree in our yard. This May 4th is very different!

Today, it has been rainy and cool; I feel as if Spring hasn’t arrived yet in northern Colorado. We have had lots of rain, which is good, but it brings cool, gloomy days. Our flowering trees haven’t bloomed, the sumacs are just starting to leaf out and I haven’t seen any butterflies.

We arrived back home in early April and discovered that we had lost a few of our trees and shrubs – a Radiant Crabapple and a Cherry tree. These two trees were planted many, many years ago, have bloomed every year to our delight and to the delight of many species of bird, butterfly and honey bee. I am truly saddened by, losing them.

They died over the winter, we are guessing, due to lack of moisture, but not sure. We have noticed, driving around town, that many of the local pine trees have died. Luckily, none of our pines seem to have been affected by the weather conditions of this past winter.

On a happier note we have many birds visiting our yard and especially enjoying some of the birdbaths we keep filled for them. One of the birdbaths we can see from our dining table and early each morning, while drinking coffee, we are entertained by many of them taking a bath.

It is funny to observe the different techniques each species of bird seems to have for bathing (not sure if this extends to individual birds). The American Robin will jump right in, splash and splash until we think all the water has been emptied out; the Western Scrub Jay will jump in, splash a couple of times, hop out and up on a branch in a big Blue Spruce where it sits for a few seconds and then repeats its’ steps; the Black-headed Chickadee, with sit on the rim of the birdbath, look around for quite awhile and then deciding it is safe will jump in where it splashes around giving itself a really good bath.

I few of the migrating birds I can’t wait to see each spring are back – the Townsend Solitary, Western Kingbird, Bullock’s Oriole, Lazuli Bunting, White-crowned Sparrow just to list a few. I haven’t seen any Hummingbirds yet. Hopefully, I will capture a few photos of them.

Speaking of migrating, we are enjoying being back home and have settled into our “being home” routines. This past Sunday, I completed a four week Pickleball class, which I truly enjoyed and I look forward to playing the game during the next several months. I have been buying a few house plants and can’t wait to start planting in my flower gardens (when it warms up enough).

Howard has been having fun with electronic projects (building things using Arduino micro-controllers) and enjoying his Ham Radio.  We walk the “girls” two miles everyday and go to the gym three/four times a week, so hopefully we will keep fit!

Just a few rambling notes on this 4th day of May. Hurry up Spring, we’re waiting!

I hope, wherever you might be, you are enjoying your Spring!