Spring on the Bayou

I am about to let April get by without my "spring is here" post. 

I don't know if you can fully see the coating of pollen on the bayou that I captured on Easter Sunday morning or not, but the bayou had a layer of yellow dust all across it. I walked out Sunday morning and thought everyone will be sick next week. Paul Allen has been for sure. He and Mama are the worst for the sinuses.

Also you might note the tree across the way that the leaves look bare. That is a southern live oak. They loose their leaves in the spring. 

Our drives and yards are covered in the small leaves.

Here is the top of one right next to my deck that I took Sunday morning as well.

Sometimes the deck feels like you are in a treehouse.

Anyway, rather than the usual green lush tree that you will see 11 months out of the year, April brings the leave drop and seedlings. IT all happens rather quickly. Almost too quick to notice in our fast paced days.

If you look closely at the above pictures you can see the golden brown seedlings that I like to call worms. I knew they would drop this week and that rain would follow almost immediately. 

That is the routine.

I have watched it for decades. 

The trees are the most lovely trees of all time to me.

Here is where they grow.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_virginiana

I actually remember the first time I noticed the lovely trees. I was about 6 or 7 and we were headed to the commissary on Pensacola NAS. I know that is a very random thing to remember, but I do. They were simply amazing and still are on the drive into the base. Loaded with Spanish moss and their twisted trunks they are really quite a sight.

Here is the entrance to our cul de sac with my house on the right...tile roof. You can see that they are somewhat bare. My retired neighbor makes it his mission to get up the leaves for the month of April.

I just decided to share that because I doubt most people know that in Florida we have to pick up leaves. It happens so quickly  that one even might not notice it. 

I am not kidding that it seems like overnight they have brand new leaves.

This was taken early this morning. Most of the seedlings fell off yesterday followed by heavy rains last night.

There are new leaves everywhere and very soon they will be so very green.

I guess I should have walked out to take a picture of the drive covered in leaves and those seedlings because it is covered!

I have schooled you up on the southern live oak, so let's move on to birds.

I see every kind of water bird imaginable from the deck. Mallards are definitely my favorite followed by herons, but I see various geese, wood ducks, osprey, gulls, pelicans, and even an occasional eagle to name a few. 

I love little birds though and get so excited about them. We have had an abundance of robins much earlier this year. There are no pictures of any of my birds because I am not a photographer. I long to be, but haven't had time to take up the hobby.

I see lots of cardinals and they have really been blessing me lately.

Blue jays and mockingbirds abound.

Last spring a bluebird visited the cul de sac. I have not been lucky enough to see those often so I get completely giddy about them.

He is back this spring. He was two feet away from me on the driveway yesterday. I was doing cartwheels in my head. Trust me I have never done one in real life. I get so excited over things like that because they are rare. I have loved birds forever. I have no clue why.

Anyway, they love the live oaks and magnolias that line our yard. 

The magnolia leaves are dropping like crazy as well, but they are about to be exploding this year with blooms. We get those in May along the Gulf Coast. There are tons of blooms all around the neighborhood.

Between us and the neighbor is a line of both trees and a few others and the birdies just love them. My sewing room window looks out to this and I often see them in the trees when it is all quiet in the early morning in there. 

The sewing room window is not far past the picture below.

I am hoping the geraniums will fare better throughout the entire summer when the 90s are the norm for daily temperatures. 

This month has been cooler than most and I am loving it. 80s are arriving this week. 

I have more posts coming soon, but I have just not had time lately, but I am going to make some.

Tucker is almost sitting up all on his own. He works with a pillow and is eager to be sitting.

Spring is coming for y'all because it is here.