Yellow Season.

4-1-21 SHORT HILLS: It was cold and windy this morning with rain and, briefly snow, but now we have sun with the wind and cold. The colder weather doesn’t seem to have slowed the march of blossoms into April.

It’s Yellow Season—forsythia, spicebush, daffodils, dandelions, march marigold due momentarily—and two goldfinches on the feeder yesterday almost completely dressed in summer finery.

Kaley, our friendliest dog ever, started having nose bleeds a few weeks ago. After a rapid and extensive, and expensive, evaluation at BEVS in Burlington, VT, disclosed Stage 4 nose cancer, we opted for treatment with stereotactic radiation. A center in Clifton, NJ, PetCureOncology, provided the treatments quickly and with a lot of smiles from the staff. We knew it would be expensive when the first discussions were about financing. 

We are all hoping for the one year response they thought reasonable to expect. Kaley endured all the diagnostics and therapeutics without a whimper. She actually hasn’t shown any symptoms except the bleeding. Thanks to Dr. Rebecca Stevens in VT and Dr. Kelsey Pohlmann in NJ for expert care and compassion.

New blooms: pachysandra, squill, dandelion, daffodil.

Forsythia says spring.

Daffodil also says spring.

Spicebush adds more yellow.

Pachysandra joins the spring parade.

Siberian squill pops up now and is on the scene for a few weeks and then gone for another year, like the snowdrops and other ephemerals.

Vinca minor, creeping myrtle, blooms now, but the foliage is evergreen, like pachysandra.

A robin poking around in last fall's leaves for creepers.

Kaley after her day in Burlington.