Last Sunday in May #phenology

If we're on a schedule like last year's, the penstemon should start blooming this week. I'll be surprised if that happens. The extended period of cool, wet weather we've had for much of May seems to have slowed down plant growth and development after a good early start.

large beardtongue, late May 2016

Photo by J. Harrington

The number of dragonflies in the air has increased notably the past few days. That's encouraging. The number of mosquitoes has also increased. That's discouraging unless you're a dragonfly, bat or mosquito-eating bird. The mosquitoes are most noticeable early in the pale, pre-breeze, pre-dawn light walking a dog and enjoying the beauty of Venus' bright light in the morning sky.

backyard whitetail doe: peaceful Sunday morning

Photo by J. Harrington

Although we haven't reached the stage of the lion lying down with the lamb, one of our local does finds the neighborhood peaceful enough to enjoy resting under the pear tree. I think that means we must be doing some thing right. If only they wouldn't eat so much of what we've planted when they have all those other things to eat!

Planting the Meadow

By Mary Makofske

I leave the formal garden of schedules

where hours hedge me, clip the errant sprigs

of thought, and day after day, a boxwood

topiary hunt chases a green fox

never caught. No voice calls me to order

as I enter a dream of meadow, kneel

to earth and, moving east to west, second

the motion only of the sun. I plant

frail seedlings in the unplowed field, trusting

the wildness hidden in their hearts. Spring light

sprawls across false indigo and hyssop,

daisies, flax. Clouds form, dissolve, withhold

or promise rain. In time, outside of time,

the unkempt afternoons fill up with flowers.

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