Watching the leaves turn

As spring turns green, it's fun watching the trees in the gorge evolve. It started with an almost imperceptible dusting of green a few weeks ago.

The first photo is April 14 with the trees budded. In the second photo, the leaf out has begun on April 20. The third shows that lime green that announces we are almost unlocked on April 24.

Now as the weather warms and spring does its thing, we are into the lime green phase before before the full dark green of summer sets in.

You can see the changes by the day with an occasional cherry tree mixed in and of course the cedars, the spectacular, gnarled cedars reminding us to always put up a fight.

As I walked yesterday, I heard the first phoebe of the season. The Carolina wren was back in our yard this morning. Before long, I am sure we will see the orioles and grosbeaks. I haven’t heard the fish crows and merlin yet but it is just a matter of time.