Four days before Spring 2026
Four days later March 20, Spring at Connor Bayou Park.
American Bald Eagle at Connor Bayou Park.
When Spring began here in Michigan, I was on my bike pedaling down the road to see Skunk Cabbage. It was 48 degrees with clouds and some sunshine.
About an hour later I was in our garden where tiny chickweed was blooming. I looked up at the sky, and this is what I saw. Maybe a Sun Dog or sun halo.
The first full day of Spring we walked at Stearns Creek Park. The temperature was 62 degrees, and it was sunny. A beautiful Spring day! I checked the Trailing Arbutus and saw some tiny buds. I looked at Spicebush but not much happening there either. Still, it was great to be outside on such a lovely day.
Then I saw a Mourning Cloak flutter past! First butterfly of the year for me. It was too lively for a picture, so we walked on. Just then a pretty leaf caught my eye, it was just a beech tree leaf with the sun shining through it, or was it? I stepped towards it and it flew away! It was an Eastern Comma Butterfly! So beautiful. It landed on an American Beech tree leaf. Of course, I don’t carry my camera anymore, but I had my phone so got a picture.
IStearns Creek Park in Ottawa County Michigan
This winter Mike has been keeping busy making sour dough bread and maple syrup. We put 15 taps in our maple trees on February 16th. The next morning, we had 5 gallons of sap. We have had many more gallons of sap since then.
Happy Spring!
4 comments:
What a lovely First Day of Spring post! The contrast between the snow and the blue sky. Your photos have all the elements of spring. First wildflower, first butterfly. That maple syrup and bread looks so good. Happy Spring to you. too! M
That certainly was a great day Chris! The sun anomaly was amazing, and that butterfly was beautiful. What gifts on the first day of spring.
I never knew you did maple syrup. Or bread!
I'm glad you're having such great weather. We almost reached 70 today, Happy spring!
Thanks, Marie. It was very thoughtful of those butterflies to show up on that day. I still haven’t heard frogs, I did see Siberian Squill blooming at Gidley Bridge today. Nothing blooming here except for the chickweed in the garden.
Happy Spring!
Thanks, Allen. It was a nice day, we have only made it to the low 60’s so far.
Mike makes the syrup and bread, I help. I gather the sap, and I eat the bread.
We had a few taps last year, but with 15 taps it keeps him busy. Mike made a reverse osmosis device to filter much of the water from the sap. There is less liquid to boil down. It still takes quite a bit of time to turn it into syrup. It taste great, fresh and not overly sweet.
The sour dough bread, he first made starter, then raised the starter, (he named the starter) then there is other magic involved. Seriously the only part of the bread that I’m involved in, is eating it.
Happy Spring!
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