More Improvements :-)

It is exciting to work with living creatures such as plants. The ecosystem, in a sense, is a living organism itself. It's kind of analogous to the Mystical Body of Christ. Each member contributes his part to the good of the whole. The rest can limp along with a couple members missing, but they will have to work harder in some respects. So every man belongs to the Spiritual Ecosystem by the existence of his soul but not every man does his part.

Here are some pictures that will tell a million words in my stead (I'm sure I could come up with a million words, but I'll spare you this time). . .

Lovely Tulips!

The hugelkultur had a growthspurt!!! :o

The Pin Oak is just barely beginning to show it's still alive.

4 holes down, 35 to go. . . Haha, no, more realistically 5 to go on the west side, not sure yet how many on the south end.

Is this tree. . .

. . .the same as this tree?

This is the southern maple (Zayin). . . beautiful burnt orange foliage! 

The grape leaves are so lovely!

Don't they almost look like rosebuds?

I found this young tree growing in the garden beds so I attempted a transplant to south of the clothesline but I'm not sure he'll make it. Note the droop. . .

Even though these next two are blurry, they give the idea of berry bushes that survived! Quite a surprise. It's the two northern out of the four – not sure which type of berries, but most likely rasp.

Love the lime hue of the early Green Ash leaves!

Baby celery ? ? ?

Baby anything else? This is where I planted lettuce, carrots, leeks, and celery. So far, not much. I think only a few celery seeds have germinated, which surprises me.

The radishes continue to grow. As these were planted April 16th, they should be ready to harvest May 8th/ 9th.

This is amazing. . . there are mushrooms growing out the sides of the garden beds!

This one takes the cake! It is not growing through the crack between the boards, but through the wood itself.

The sun is so vibrant today.

Some of the Vinca Vines are taking off well. You can see the new growth.

This one, the one closest to the gate on the northwest side, does not seem to have made it.

This shot created itself. . . the seasons of life.

And the winged ones are up, up, and away to seize the day.

The triplet maples are weaving their spring wardrobe.

This morning I saw a huge bird in the creek on campus. It had long pencil-like legs, and a thin, elegant, drooping neck. When I walked past on the bridge, I startled it a little but then paused to watch it. After a few seconds, it flapped its wings and ascended into the morning sky – quite a large bird with the wingspan! It flew gracefully northwards in a swoop of gray and white.

Ah heron! For you must have been

A heron, born to swoop and stand,

So lovely, elegant, and thin,

In colors of the white-washed sand.

Behold you as I did not long,

Swift, soft you winged, surrendered sight!

But though you left me, still sublime

Sweet souvenirs stir my delight.

The other night, when Joey and Ania and I were just getting back from the airport (picking her up Easter Monday night), we saw about seven does standing on the road leading up the back way to the dorm. They were so darling and dainty! And unafraid. They stood there even after we had driven up within 40 yards, and just kept nibbling at the grass here and there and frolicking with each other. They were so cute! But then we couldn't sit there all night so I eventually edged forward and they bounded off, white tails to the sky.

It seems like you witness more in the mild seasons than at any other time.