What's growing in May

Spring is bustin' out all over...finally..... after a cold and cloudy winter and a very slow spring awakening.

Brilliant colors abound

New in the garden: irises planted last year

Found in the woods: pink lady slippers

Our bright orange azalea

another new addition: purple allium

And in our vegetable garden, ready to be picked is lettuce

three different kinds

cauliflower

and broccoli

Searching for lady slippers

Searching for the elusive lady slipper, our travels took us to Prime Hook National Wildlife Park this week where we heard they had been seen.

Hobbling along on my recovering knee, I looked and Jim followed with his camera and mini-tripod ready.

We found a small number growing together on a wooded trail, magnificent in their pinkness!

Lewes tulip festival

This weekend was the tulip festival in Lewes, and since the weather cooperated earlier this week, the warm temperatures opened blossoms on the Bradford pear trees and the tulips.

tulips

One of the children's games showed the Dutch influence in Lewes

tulips everywhere

The color of the blossoms on this tree matches the color of the house

Mama osprey waiting for her mate to return.  Nests such as this one built on a man made box are found all over the beach and bay area. We saw this one in Lewes.

"Wedding in Progress"

And to add to the day's events, we found local asparagus...now that is springtime talking!

Easter is coming

Preparations are under way for Easter weekend....the first busy weekend for returning snow birds and tourists.

Egg decorations

DB Fries open

Toy store open

Rhodes open

Street scape continuing

Benches being moved for Easter Sunrise Service on the boardwalk

Tulips emerging

and our backyard ducks are back!

Garden

Even though the temperatures are still cold and more snow is in the forecast, the calendar tells us it is Spring....time to add compost to the garden and turn it over.  Yesterday was sunny (and cold) and Jim moved the compost from our composter and tilled it into the garden.

Look at the rich soil!  Hopefully the earthworms that fellower gardener Don added are settling in.

Job done.....the rosemary plant winters over.

To the right will be the flower garden, designed to naturally discourage harmful insects to invade.

This week's planting: 2 types of lettuce

North CarolinaTransportation Museum

Wayne and Joanne treated us to the museum where they volunteer....what a great day!

Not really....we are staying at the Schmitt's home

In the cab of the train where we took a short ride

roundhouse

Train that we rode on

Joanne and Wayne

our new dog.....

Stone Mountain, GA

Spent the day at Stone Mountain, a chilly day with bright sunshine.  The area is not open until Easter but we were able to take the tram ride up to the top of the mountain.  It is pretty obvious that spring has not yet come to this place.

Stone Mountain Inn

Our room with back porch and rocking chairs

Front porch facing Stone Mountain (southerners love their rocking chairs and big porches)

Tram ride to the top

Carving in the side of the mountain

Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, Confederate heroes

Up on top

It was very cold up top.  Small pools of water were frozen.

Atlantic skyline in the background.

In the museum

This depicts the actual size of the stars on Lee's collar.