Maple flowers.
Like Medusa, except with a birdhouse.

This evening marks the first break in the clouds we've seen since Sunday of last week. So far the week has been unseasonably cold, with temperatures peaking in the 40's.

Still lots of Red-winged Blackbirds hanging around the feeder, though we've seen the first Baltimore Oriole of the year just today, and the Eastern Bluebirds seem to have set up house in one of the two boxes. Loon calls can be heard from the nearby lakes and ponds, while the Peepers' chorus is still strident.

Last Friday's snow had a horrible effect on the native grape vines we had growing on the trellis. They seem to be making a bit of a comeback, but only time will tell if we see any grape production this year.

Native flowers seem to be doing quite well. Columbine, Blue-flag Iris, Swamp Buttercup, and Meadowrue foliage continuing to flourish (though no flowers yet), Prairie Smoke just starting to pop, stems of Butterflyweed and Bergamot finally starting to pop up. Mohican Viburnum just about to go out of bloom.

Crisp lower 50's this morning, with bursts of wind coming out of the Northeast strong enough to blow plumes of dust and dry grass across the road and send crows and hawks along the freeway wheeling as they tried to take flight.

Wildlife Spotted in Garden this Week:

• American Toad
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Blue Jay
• Cedar Waxwing
• Eastern Chipmunk
• Goldfinch
• Green Frog
• Grey Squirrel
• Grey Tree Frog
• House Finch
• Monarch Butterfly
• Mourning Dove
• Northern Cardinal
• Nuthatch
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red-headed Woodpecker
• Robin
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Natives Blooming in Garden:

• Aster (unknown variety)
• Black-eyed Susan
• Daisy Fleabane
• Elm-leafed Goldenrod
• Purple Coneflower
• Rough Blazing Star
• Showy Goldenrod
• Sneezeweed
• Turtlehead
• Woodland Sunflower

Have had a lot of luck with vines this year. These native creepers are slowly overtaking our fence, and I have a few native grape vines growing up alongside the house. Would love to get some wild cucumber growing as well, though that requires a good amount of shade and damp soil.