Naturalist's Log #4

This was written on April 7, 2010.

We've had a spell of unusually warm weather, and everything happened quickly.  All the trees are green.  Daffodils and  forsythia have bloomed and withered.   My Japanese cherry tree has lost all its flowers and gone completely green.  Bradford pears have bloomed and are now shedding their flowers.  Tulips and crab apple trees are blooming now.  It's hard to keep up with everything, especially because the time frame for changes is shorter than usual.  It's as if spring came in at fast forward.

Naturalist's Log #3

This was written on March 29, 2010.

It's happening!  Green is returning.

My Japanese cherry  tree is in bloom.

The Red Menace (red maple) has lots of pollen which is strongly allergenic.  I've got allergies and asthma, and pollen is the only part of spring that I don't like.

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The Green Bubble

This was written on March 18, 2010.

I live in a sprawling condominium complex with grass, trees, shrubs, and flowers all around.  In addition, the home owners who live on the ground floor often plant small gardens of their own, which the rest of us can enjoy.  The complex is bordered all around, except for the entrance, with undeveloped land.  Some of it belongs to the county, and some of it is part of a 25 mile long bike/walk path with a creek and big, old trees.  Through my living room window, I see a plot of wooded land.  It is a joy to watch and listen to all year long.  When I leave the condo complex, I get to roads with stores, offices, and traffic.  I feel like I live in a green bubble.