Nicole PaullIt’s exciting to see signs of life in early spring: purple and yellow crocuses, brilliant blue glory of the snow, yellow daffodils, and myriad shades of green as new leaves and shoots begin to emerge.
But red may not be the first color we think of just now, so I thought it would be fun to walk around the yard in search of it.
Want to come along?
Yay! I’m so glad. 😊
Maples and Cardinals and Foxes, oh my!
Most of the trees in our little woodland are oaks, but there’s a red maple (Acer rubrum) growing at one edge. It always cheers me up to look out the kitchen window at this time of year and see those blooms glowing in the sunlight.
Every now and then, though, I’m treated to a double shot of red.
I took the top photo early in the morning. The photo below was taken the same day, but in the late afternoon. Same tree, different branch.
Same bird? Your guess is as good as mine!
What really strikes me is that it’s a difference of only hours, but look at the transformation from flower buds to blooms! That’s how fast things can change in the garden . . . and what can pass by without your notice if you’re not present to observe.
By the way, did you know that red maple blossoms smell faintly of maple syrup? Try it!
You can find red in young leaves and branches, too. As one example, check out the little sawtooth edging of oxblood red on these crabapple leaves.
Last, but far from least, we have the pièce de résistance: a glimpse of Rufus and Vixen. They briefly cavorted at the edge of a little meadow-y area beyond our property line before melting into the underbrush.
It’s not the best picture, but it’s such a treat to see them that I still wanted to share.
There’s a little game trail to the left of the foxes and we sometimes see deer in this area, too, although we didn’t today. It’s amazing how quickly both the foxes and deer become invisible once they enter the brush.
It makes you wonder how often they’re watching us without our knowing!
Do you ever hear foxes barking near your home? If you’re not sure what they sound like, you can listen here.
It was a bit eerie and unsettling the first time we heard it. Once we knew what the source of the sound was, though, I started to look forward to listening to them bark and scream in the early morning hours (especially knowing my hens were securely locked up!).
So that’s all for my photo journal of red for today, but I’d love to hear from you.
What colors make you feel most happy when you first see them after a long winter?