May 10, 2026

 Here is the white Fish that we've been watching since last year.  And here is a Chipmunk that I spotted in the yard this week!

This mother Robin has barely left her nest, even to find herself something to eat.   I had thought that by this week she might have baby birds clamoring to get out of the nest!

This seems to be a yellow trillium in the front yard.  I was lucky that the sun just caught it right!

Maybe you remember a couple of weeks ago when the the Toads arrived in force.  They are American Toads.  No more mating in the pond for now,  but perhaps in a bit we will see Tadpoles out there.  Look at picture 3,

I do believe we are now seeing a few (gazillion) tiny Tadpoles!  We could even go so far as to say they are Toadpoles... Hint:  these are NOT baby fish - apparently baby fishes look like little Fishes.

So the Pond is full of life of various sources.  Here are some of the Plants you may recognize from earlier this Spring.  That first one is Cousin Joan's Amaryllis.  I still don't know why they come with waxed bottoms, except as a festive addition (and maybe also so that they don't need to be pottted).  Picture 2 shows a couple of them after I stripped off the waxy parts, and planted them (the plants, not the waxy parts) outdoors for the season.  This picture was taken today - let's see how they do from now on!

Here are some of our outdoor plants.  This first one might be a Lily of the Valley.  Next you can see that the Jack-in-the-Pulpits had a very good start for the Spring.  Soon I might be giving a few away if they continue to thrive in this mode! Third is a May Apple.

Here are some of the Thistles I planted in the fall.  (I had some nice plants with several kinds of Bugs (generic word for "critters") on them but they didn't make it through the winter, so I replanted them to try to follow the Bugs.)  You can probably guess how prickly the leaves are on some of them.  I may be able to share bits of some of these things at some point, maybe fairly soon.  Ask if you're interested.  (No bugs yet!)

If anyone recognizes the crinkly leaves on this next plant, please tell me!  Picture 2 shows Celandine Poppies, and I have about enough to share a small amount.  (Kathleen Seidl suggested "primrose" for the crinkly-leaved plant!)

Here is one of our Groundhogs.  I think I showed this before, but since I don't see them often, here's your big chance again.  I may have posted this big black Bird picture before, but it's the view of a Robin that doesn't show a red breast.  

One of Chaim's favorite black Squirrels, probably named Larry. Second is a reddish Squirrel.

Note:  the Whitehouse Nature Center is quite a nice place to visit to see some of the variety of wild things that live out there.  I heartily suggest you check it out and visit often.  The proprietors are quite friendly, as are the critters.  

Visit us here often.  The displays do change from time to time.  Happy Spring (again - let's hope it works this time!)  Love, Martha