Officially Spring.

3-21-23 SHORT HILLS: All traces of the snow are gone. It’s about sixty today, sunny, no wind. The gardeners were here and did the spring clean up. Usually I do it, but it’s now too big a job for me. Maybe I’ll tackle it next year if I’m younger. Actually I did pull down and cut up some big dead fall in different parts of the yard. The birds have been active around the feeders.

The problem of the dead and dying ash trees, sick from borers, requires us to have them cut down—a disaster and a big expense for what had been a heavily treed yard. This winter large tree limbs have fallen, and it’s a hazard. 

Bill was here for dinner when Lynn was away, and we were in the city for Sunday brunch with Bob, an old friend of Ken’s.We go back to VT this weekend.

New blooms: Andromeda, forsythia, marsh marigold.

 

Cardinal. We have two pairs this spring.

Red-bellied woodpecker.

House finch on the feeder. They are easily confused with the Purple finch.

Red-wing blackbird in front and mourning dove in back.

House sparrow is his name, but he's actually a finch.

Andromeda has enough flowers open to call it in bloom.

Crocus are still coming up.