Back in VT.

5-17-21 VERMONT: We came up here a few days ago to relive the last few weeks of spring. We are about where NJ was on May 1. While we have trees and shrubs here, there are many, many more perennial beds than in NJ. It’s been a month since we were here, and there were two snow storm, both short lived, but the game cams showed snow on the ground April 22. The game cams also caught a bear visit to the house at 2 AM on that same day, April 22. 

The new maple trees are in leaf and in sync with the other red maples. Thanks to Dianna and Steve for watering them in our absence. I’ve seen only one turtle in the pond. They come and go. There could be more. Both ponds are full and fairly clear. 

We have a robin nesting on a wreath Judy hangs by the mudroom door on the porch. She has two eggs in the nest last time I looked. She flies away if we go anywhere near the porch, so we have been using the back doors. I am filling one feeder and bringing it in at night so to not tempt the bears. We have goldfinches, hummingbirds, various flycatchers, catbirds, the usual suspects at the feeder. 

We walked around the pasture once, and I acquired two ticks, but we haven’t seen any on the dogs. 

I planted six white primrose, Primula japonica ‘Alba’, along the new stream that connects the two ponds as well as a red one and Siebold’s primrose, P. sieboldii. Two lupin, Lupinus polyphyllus ‘Gallery Blue’ and ‘Gallery Red’ went in the rock garden. Four hollyhocks, Alcea rosea ‘Spring Celebrities White’, ‘Chater’s Double Scarlet’, ‘Spotlight Blacknight’, and ‘Halo Cerise’ were planted in the lower wall bed along with two hyssop, Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’.

In bloom: star magnolia, service berry, primrose, tiarella, pulmonaria, white and red trillium, pink, purple and yellow lamium, pachysandra, vinca minor, white and purple violets, Johnny-jump-up, marsh marigold, Virginia blue bells, forsythia, wild strawberry, dandelion, forget-me-not, alkanet, apple, bleeding heart, jill-over-the-ground, jack-in-the-pulpit, hellebore. 

Red Trillium, three leaves, three sepals, three petals.

White Trillium.

Robin on her nest on the porch.

The wreath under the nest provides a foundation for the construction.

Two eggs in robin's egg blue, maybe they're more now.

Very early morning visitor.

Tiarella just opening.