"Gardening is a long road, with many detours and way stations, and here we all are at one point or another. It's not a question of superior or inferior taste, merely a question of which detour we are on at the moment. Getting there (as they say) is not important; the wandering about in the wilderness or in the olive groves or in the bayous is the whole point." - Henry Mitchell, Gardening Is a Long Road, 1998

We have had some nice rains and cooler temps lately.  Always happy to see that combination.  I'm inspired to transplant lots of things in this perfect weather.  Usually, I'm a timid transplanter because a hot dry spell makes it labor intensive with potting, watering and maybe artificial shading.

Below are some photos taken at the feeders.  These photos are among my worst partly because they were taken beyond the limits of my telephoto lens and mostly because I'm just not as  good with the camera as I once was.  

 I stopped by Birds Unlimited yesterday and noticed their feeders looked like objects of art.  They had Broom feeders like mine but theirs were shiny and new.  I left the store with only one peanut feeder for the bluejays.  This spring I have been happy with the numbers and variety of birds at my feeders.  Several migrants stopped by on their journey north.  White crowned sparrows and white throated sparrows are only seen here in the spring and early winter.  A rose breasted grossbeak came to eat, they go south for the winter but sometimes nest in northern Illinois in summer.   I also saw a Baltimore oriole at the suet feeder yesterday.  I hope he decides to nest nearby.  Would love to get a photo of him. 

                 This peony flowered tulip was planted last fall.  It is a late blooming variety that extends the tulip season.

                From the shade garden beneath the lilac hedge, the blue bells are blooming.  

"A garden should feel like a walk in the woods."

~  Dan Kiley, American landscape designer

This little bridge is just down the hill from my house.  There used to be a road from the north that passed my house and went on south to connect to the county highway.  This bridge was part of that road.  Sometime in the 60's a bypass around Rockford was built  and my little lane was cut off from the north.  Now the bridge is used only by farm equipment to reach the fields and by me.  

 This photo taken from the bridge, clouds reflected in the creek on a perfect spring day.

One liquid ribbon of nature sandwiched between two farm fields.

Foxy, one of my rambling partners.  Always eager to walk with me and always willing to let me choose the path.