tulips in rain

As I was headed to Long Hill this afternoon it started to rain. While I could have reversed direction, I chose to visit the flowers in the rain.

The gardens were beautiful and very wet.

by the sea

Today was a good day for a low tide walk by the sea.

I headed to the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island, walking north from the refuge since the entire 6 miles of beach within the refuge is currently closed for the piping plover nesting season.

Here's the current bird status:

The plover numbers continue to rise, with the last survey seeing 20 pairs and 8 single adults throughout the refuge beach. While most have only been observed resting and foraging, there are a few first scrapes along the beach.

daffodils at Tower Hill

With the news that the daffodil hill was near peak I headed to the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill on Thursday for a walk through the flowers.

To see more, click to enter the gallery at Tower Hill :: 2023.

I had to look up the reason for the garden's name change. It used to be called Tower Hill Botanic Garden. The organization says the new name, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, "represents the organization’s ever-expanding regional presence".

To me, simpler is better. The reasoning behind the name change doesn't make sense to me.

photos! Halibut Point

Photos from my wander in the fog at Halibut Point State Park on Monday can be viewed in the gallery Halibut Point :: 2023.

Click here to see the photos.

early tulips

Tulips are starting to bloom, spreading color through the landscape.

coastal fog

It was cloudy when I left home this morning heading for Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, MA. As I approached the coast, dense fog appeared.

Walking in fog is magical.

watching

As I walked in a garden early this morning I spotted a rabbit watching me. I stood still and he did too, watching me, then turning again to munch on grass.

mirrored

A constant wind was blowing as I walked in Harold Parker State Forest yesterday.

While most of the ponds showed rippled surfaces, sections of Brackett Pond were smooth. It was almost a perfect mirrored surface.

daffodil variations

Yesterday's visit to Long Hill was a wander among daffodils.

It's amazing to see so many different variations of the same flower.

at rest

A malachite butterfly hangs from a leaf, upside down.

I've always wondered if there is something behind the direction a butterfly lights on a leaf. The American Museum of Natural History answers the question "do butterflies sleep?" with this statement:

At night, or when the day is cloudy, adult butterflies rest by hanging upside down from leaves or twigs, where they are hidden among the foliage. We don't really know whether or not they are sleeping.

painted

It's always fun to see electrical boxes decorated with murals, a huge improvement over the standard solid colors.

I loved this dragon on a box in Lexington, MA.

pop!

A lone glory-of-the-snow flower presents a pop of (almost) purple in a patch of new green and last season's faded leaves.

evergreen reflection

While it's too early for this season's leaves, evergreens present a splash of green.

dreamy daff

Taller spring flowers are emerging; daffodils are beginning to bloom.