Pre Mother's Day hike

Wonderful weather, perfect for the Preserve and walking there. I walked for a couple of hours, past bluebird boxes, in some of which are tree swallows like this guy



with many butterflies zooming about, bluebirds,here the rightful occupant of the bluebird box



wonderfully scented flowering trees



spring flowers still there, the canopy not having filled in yet to shade them out



and first sighting in years, a Baltimore oriole, a male. His sound is like a waterfall of sound, round, lovely notes, the Rampal of the bird world. I was so carried away listening and looking for him that when I caught sight of him, I wasn't able to get a pic.

For the first time in a long while I was able to make it all the way to the end of the big trail,



to the stone bench,



where butterflies danced all around me and I managed to seize a pic or two.




On the way back, I met a woman sitting at the side of the trail, resting an instrument case at the side of the bench, and fell into conversation. She's a musician, rehearsal this morning, performance this evening, and she had sought out some quiet and beautiful place to be calm. She asked me a bit about a bird she'd seen, and confirmed my suspicion that that wonderful bird I'd seen and heard was indeed an oriole. As a musician she said for her it's one of the most musical of all bird songs. Her vision is failing and she's trying to learn birdsong for when she can't see them so well.

What could be better for Mother's Day weekend. Tomorrow, Handsome Son will visit and that will be perfect, then I plan to hustle him off to the shore, to take advantage of the weather, which has been so unpredictable you have to seize the day, and it's his favorite of all summer destinations. I'll be happy to draw and stitch and read and rest my soul!

So if you are a mother, or have had one, or wish to be one, or are quite glad you're not one, or act in the place of a mother to someone who needs one, I think that about takes in everyone (!) enjoy tomorrow.