sharing our space

We share our 2 1/2 acres with many other creatures. Some of them we're happy about, others not so much, but our latest cohabitants are very welcome...& so cute too!
These fox pups are about 1 month old. There are 5 out of the den so far, & we've enjoyed them out our back windows for several days now. This afternoon, 3 were out to play.

The one on the left was more reserved, & only joined in occasionally. The other 2 rarely stopped their boisterous romp.
They love to play "chase" around (& around & around) this spruce we planted 2 years ago.

Behind this one you can see one of the many openings to their den.

thoughts on spring

Spring comes earlier for gardeners...
because they go out looking for it.

Yesterday I found Spring in the mud, where the snowdrops have started pushing up through...


...and in the full ivory Pieris buds dripping off their rosey stems.


I found it under crinkled leaves where new sprouts of Gentian pop out in pointy layers between the hollow sticks of last year's stems...

...but most vividly, I found it in the coppery curls that dress the bottom branches of the 'Jelena' witch hazel.

And so, happy spring. So what if it's not March 20th?