May Flowers Everywhere

 I've been out and about, and all around while celebrating the flowers of May. May is one of the best months, because it contains my birthday, Mother's Day, and the start of gardening season. Even on the cooler days, it's still a beautiful month to watch the arrival of the spring blossoms. 

One of the most beloved spring flowers for me, and many others, are lilacs. I was searching for a way to enjoy their heavenly fragrance, and hit the jackpot at the Henry Ford Estate. By happenstance, there was a post online about this garden, featuring their extensive lilac collection. Even when I lived in Detroit in the 80's and 90's, I had never heard of it. Now it will be a place that I visit often, as the seasons change. The best part was the lilac tunnel, where I lingered for quite some time. But the grounds held many lovely views. I can't wait to see it in autumn! 

In early May, we made our annual trip to the Tulip Festival in Holland Michigan, and other spots near there. The weather was chilly, but the tulips had arrived early this season, making some of the usual haunts look a bit faded. Some tulip areas were completely finished for the season, but we did find other spots to enjoy them. 

Since the tulips were in short supply, we did some additional sightseeing at the Holland beaches, and at our nearby alma mater. There's also a huge nursery in the area, where we loaded up the car with plants to use at home. 

We stayed in Holland two nights, then drove south to St. Joe where we stayed two more nights. My usual haunts in that area include gardens, beaches, and any pretty sight I can find. I suppose that's no big surprise to those of you who read my blog regularly. 

After our trip, it was finally warm enough to plants some of my containers at home. I did have late blooming daffodils to see, while my early spring pansies continue to thrive. In years past, in Ohio, I would have removed my pansies by now to replace them with summer flowers. But so far, they still look perfect. Maybe when the heat really arrives, they'll fade. Until then, they stay. 

We have had good luck with our small rolling veggie garden, and by month's end, we harvested the radishes, and some of the lettuce. We've definitely been enjoying salad picked fresh. We also planted a patio tomato in a container, and some cucumbers. 

Another local favorite to visit in the spring is the peony garden at Nichols Arboretum in Ann Arbor. We've made multiple visits, first to see the early tree peonies, then later to see the regular kind. There are still weeks of bloom time to come, but we saw plenty. Love this place! 

One day, we drove into downtown Detroit, and walked along the river park. What a treasure this River Walk is! There's even a State Park there, with a lighthouse, and I had never even heard of it. I had no idea that the Detroit River was so beautifully blue, or how pretty it all is with Windsor Ontario across the river. We also saw The Corner Ballpark, where the historic Tiger Stadium used to sit. Loved it all! Next time, I want to go over to Belle Isle again, and catch a pic of that lighthouse! 

At home, we've much enjoyed watching the birds at our camera feeders, both regular and hummingbird. Since this is a new subdivision with small trees, we didn't expect to see so many. Heck, our hummingbird feeder camera was only in place for one day when they began to arrive! As for the regular feeder, we eventually figured out that we had to use the less popular safflower seeds to discourage bully birds from hogging the space. It worked well, but even the "regular" birds are really chowing down. 

This time of year, we don't spend as much time on indoor pursuits. You'll often find us sitting on the "veranda" in the afternoon, with a cold drink and book or computer to work on. But I do like to keep my vases full of flowers. Since my birthday and Mother's Day were both this month, some of the flowers were celebratory. I'm always crocheting something, so there's a new blanket in progress. And you know how I like to update my tiered tray. I think I'll change it out soon, as I have a bee theme in mind. 

It's obvious from this blog that I always notice the scenery around me, where ever I travel about the city, and even here in my own neighborhood. Many people will pass these sights without a second glance, but I'm the one who stops for pix, or simply admires it while passing by. I've often said that I require a constant stream of scenery. Give me pretty trees, or a field filled with waving grass, or a blue sky with puffy clouds, or a pond glittering under the sun, or birds or butterflies passing by. As long as I have eye candy, I'm happy. 

I end this delightful flower filled month with some good news. My new garden plans have FINALLY been approved! I sure hope to have something to show off by the end of June, but we'll see. I have to admit, I have the plants sitting here waiting, where they've been patiently waiting since early May. 

Closing as usual with sunsets, now seen from the front porch for the season. I often wonder if the neighbors notice me out there forever taking sky pix. Guess it doesn't matter, I'd do it regardless. I've been a sky watcher all my life. Having a sense of wonder about the world keeps me grounded when the world seems disordered. 

Thanks for coming by to see what's happening in Robin's Nest, and to see all the places that I like to explore. I appreciate the "company"! See you here again next month, and maybe I'll have a garden by then. Fingers crossed!