Spring Walk

Are any of you still experiencing the throes of winter?  Any Easter snow to report?  It has been very hot here in Wake Forest, NC, and everything's blooming.

Here is my first rose, an old-fashioned variety with a French woman's name that I don't recall.  It grows up along the rail of our back deck.

We walked around the neighborhood today.  Lots of other roses were blooming.  All the new houses in the Heritage section have the same pink rose bush by their mailboxes.  I think it is called a non-stop rose.

The Forgotten Pond was looking pretty, with only one goose to grace the picture.

On the street near the pond, I spotted this very muddy turtle by the curb.  I'm pretty sure it is a snapping turtle, because they have jagged edges on the back of their shells.  I decided I would try to move him off the street if he was still there on the return trip.  He wasn't.  (Relief!  Have you heard the folk legend that if a snapping turtle bites you, he won't let go until it thunders?)

Here is another unusual site on this morning's walk.  I think the firemen might have been practicing with a new aerial truck.  Or they wanted a coffee break with a view.  They were on a new street with just a few houses that are occupied.

One reason I have been leaving the neighborhood lately for our morning walks is because of all the new construction.  The recession is not affecting the growth north of Raleigh.

This is what the roads look like when they are working on a new house.  It's much nicer to walk on the greenway.

This is the entrance to the Heritage neighborhood across Rogers Road from my street.  I saw them building one of those stone columns one day.  All cinder block with a stone facade.

For some reason, the developers think every section of Heritage must have its own unique name.  I think they may be running out of ideas soon.

Back at Chez McBrayer, I am pleased with the restful look of our back yard.  Nothing like azalea time!

Also in full bloom are the weigelas.  This pink one has gotten out of hand.  Can you see a little red dog heading around it on the right? 

The giant green shrub in front of the house is a viburnum that has also outgrown its location.  Full sun makes flowering shrubs very happy.

I wish I had chosen a red weigela instead of the pale pink.  This is our neighbor's along their white fence.

Our mock orange is another one that has gotten extremely tall.  It has only a few blossoms open so far.

Here is the viburnum I planted on our last dog, Maggy's grave in the back yard near the woods.

Near it are the two huge hydrangeas that are planted next to our collie, Sassy's grave.  She was about eleven when we moved to this house, and only lived about another year or two.  We got Maggy about three days after losing Sassy to cancer.

The seeds I planted last week are already coming up in the cutting garden.

I have not been doing much in the way of sewing or art in the past week.  We bought a new king-size bed for our bedroom, and moved our old one to a guest bedroom.  That has meant getting rid of a lot of unwanted furniture and STUFF.  I guess every once in a while it is good to clear out things you no longer need.  I am filling up the back of the Subaru with bags of items for Goodwill.  I've gotten my clothing drawers cleaned out and need to do my closet next.

I'd rather be quilting!