Springing Right into Summer

We have had a very cool, wet spring in Delaware, but as usually happens, we have suddenly gone right into summer.  Less than two weeks ago, we still had the heat running in our house, and now for the last four days, the temps have been in the high 80’s!

My flowers have been moving right along, enjoying the moisture while they have it, but now that it has finally gotten warm, they are really growing quickly.  Here are some pictures I took showing their progress:

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Dame’s Rocket, a volunteer wildflower from a packet of seeds I planted 20 years ago!

 

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Green and Gold, or chrysogonum, a wonderful ground cover, is in full-bloom

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Virginia waterleaf is tucked in among my ferns which have taken off explosively!

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A close-up of my Virginia waterleaf

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My up-and-coming common milkweed patch! Hopefully, some random female monarch will miraculously find them again this year.

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Last, but not least, my bluebird box has five babies in it! Here is Dad delivering a yummy morsel. They are so loud now, I can hear them from my upstairs window!

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Momma bluebird waiting to make a delivery. She is SO cautious before entering the box.

 

Inchworms Going to a Good Cause!

Today I received a delightful surprise!

For some reason I thought that “my” bluebirds were nesting somewhere else this year, although they were eating the mealworms I’ve been putting out daily.  Occasionally I saw a female go into the nest box but thought she had built a nest without a mate!

Today I realized both a female and a male were flying in and out of the box with their beaks full of  inchworms!  Tiny cheaping noises were coming from within the box.

Here are a couple of pictures of Mr. BB working hard all afternoon.  Mrs. BB never stopped long enough for me to get a picture.

Mr. BB Sitting on Fence with a Beakful of Inchworms

Mr. BB Sitting on Fence with a Beakful of Inchworms

Mr. BB Waiting to Go into the Box with a Beakful of inchworms

Mr. BB Waiting to Go into the Box with a Beakful of Inchworms

Even though inchworms are VERY numerous this year I really wonder how he manages to get so many into his beak at once!

Just About to Fledge!

My bluebird box in the backyard has bluebirds nesting in it this year!  Typically, they will raise 2 or 3 broods in a season.  These are pictures taken the day before the first brood fledged.  Have you ever seen such determination?

Looking out at the big world!

Looking out at the big world!

Almost ready to go!

Almost ready to go!