Home on the Range

 My new abode has given me a totally different outlook on the changing of the seasons. I now live on a hillside overlooking what we call the pond. Actually it's a small lake, fed by a creek that meanders down the hillside, to the West. The creek then empties into the Blue River. 

So, what was a cold mass of water surrounded by bare trees, a month ago, is now a completely different place. The native Red Bud Trees are blooming. The Bradford Pear Trees, purposely planted ones and the bad, bad rogue ones, have been stunning. Next will come the dogwoods.

Daffodils or Jonquils, whatever you call them, are blooming everywhere. Some of them are recent plantings and others remain from what was a homestead, on the edge of the Kansas prairie, settled decades ago. Those brilliant yellow blossoms are incredibly hearty.

The grass around the pond is all bright green. Wild turkeys are strutting their stuff, along the banks, and some of our days have actually been warm enough for us to wander around without a sweatshirt or jacket. The landscape seems to change daily.

While walking though the woods surrounding the pond, I've spotted numerous tiny flowers breaking though the carpet of dried winter leafs.  There are white, blue, yellow and pink blooms. A deer carcass has been lying on the North side of the pond for several weeks now, food for turkey vultures and other scavengers.

Autumn used to be my most favorite season, but right now it's coming in a distant second, to Spring.