Mid-May II.

5-24-23 SHORT HILLS: We are off to VT tomorrow after weeks in NJ. I have done more pruning here, and we had Frank’s Tree back for  removal of a big dead branch on our locust tree. The remaining ash trees do not look healthy, I think they will need to go next year.

We have the first batch of new bird babies flitting around. House sparrows and house finches. They have been draining the feeders daily. I saw a house sparrow mom and baby both perched on a feeder while the mom fed seeds to the baby. The proud dad was hopping around on the bird bath. 

New blooms: purple rhododendron, peony, kousa dogwood. 

Peony, I like the single flowers more than the more common doubles.

Tree peony.

Purple rhododendron.

Kousa dogwood.

House sparrow mom on the right and baby on the left. The mom was feeding seeds to the baby while...

Papa was watching.