the continuing unfolding of Spring

It is considerably colder today, but the rains have let up some.  Jubilee is excited about the rabbits and squirrels that are out and about now.
The Skunk Cabbage

The skunk cabbage is proliferating all along the banks of the stream.  I looked at it closely, and can't see any evidence of a "flower" at this point.

The Trees
Here are some views of the trees in the woods of Knob Hill Park.  It still looks relatively bare, but budding is happening on almost all of the trees.

There is something funny happening with the bark of the trees now.  It's not just moisture staining, but rather seems to be a kind of shedding.  Some of the trees remind me of totem poles.

The Buds
I love photographing these little beginnings!

(this isn't really a bud, but something is going on in the old thistle weeds!)

The Hillsides

The brown Western Pennsylvania hillsides are gradually changing - still mostly red, now, but I think that any day now they are going to turn to something else entirely.  For some reason, I'm holding onto this beginning spring time - perhaps like one wants to hold on to a baby.

Flowers

There are plenty of planted ornamental flowers - like daffodils - in bloom around.  Those don't interest me near as much as this tiny, tiny baby's breath that you can barely see down around the fences ...

Forsythia

I don't think that these yellow shrubs are wild (they are mostly in peoples' yards), or native to the area, but they do catch your eye.

Finally, here is what the road to the park looks like these days ...

... and this is the view from the window.