signs of spring

As the snow melts, we need to walk further and further into our back yard before we can strap on our skis.  And as the soil begins to poke out, we have had to detour and develop a new route through the fields.  But there is is still plenty of snow out there, although often it has water underneath.  I have noticed that snow over plowed ground melts faster than snow over grassy fields.  My theory is that the dark soil attracts light and heat even under a snowy cover. 

Around the house foundation, things are definitely happening.

Snowdrops are blooming, and donkey's tail euphorbia are snaking over the bare soil.

Winter aconite is tiny in stature, but produces 2-cm flowers that smell like honey.  The bees love them and are already buzzing around.  This flower comes from a small bulb planted in fall.  Once established, they keep coming back year after year.

Another yellow beauty is this crocus, which is also visited by bees.

Iris reticulata is another beautiful flower that brightens in early spring.

Even the moss growing in a crack of pressure-treated wood is greening up.

These tiny leaves promise poppies in June.