Real flowers, at last!  The spring flowers have started to bloom.

This was the first – Common Whitlow Grass on Sumac Prairie.

Draba reptans

Then, a few days ago, in the rain, we found Small White Violets along the path behind the house.

Viola macloskeyi

We’ve finally gotten some rain now.  Only about 1/2 inch, but it has brought out new leaves on the Willow and Box Elder trees, and makes everything smell like spring.  It’s the first rain we’ve had in weeks.

I saw a pair of mating Mourning Cloak Butterflies in the woods below Sumac Corner Prairie last week.

Nymphalis antiopa

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers have returned, and begun drilling holes in the trees.  This means that there’s a lot of extra sap for other creatures.  Here’s an Eastern Comma sipping at some sap holes.

Polygonia comma

This is a small moth that was walking around edge of the birdbath.  It wasn’t at all shy – it sat on my hand, and walked around while I took pictures.

I found this vine in the woods last week – I think it’s American Bittersweet.  I love all the twists.

Richard and Phil came to pick up the canoe for their trip down the river.

Richard and Phil

They packed up the canoe and headed back to Ashland.  They’ll set off on the Namekagon River the day after graduation, and hope to be in New Orleans by the end of the summer.