SPRING AWAKENINGS!
I wonder if you know what this camper has in the palm of his hand! He wanted a closer look at a toad tadpole which emerged from an egg laid in a vulnerable puddle on Dune Way. Campers were keeping an eye on the water level since the sun was out and drying things out. They had even added buckets of water in the puddle to assure their survival. This has happened before, and I may just go back over and take as many of the tadpoles to the Lily Pond to keep them alive.

The campground looked very summery with campers out enjoying the great outdoors. Some were playing ball on the beach with only bathing suits on! I didn't see anyone go into the water, but I was there early in the day. Bicycles were being used by young and old. I walked the beaches, enjoying the beautiful pink Beach Peas now in bloom. As you can see, a few dew drops still moistened the leaves. The Strawberries are losing their petals as the fruits are forming. Buttercups are brightening up the scene also. What a great time of year!

I have had a couple of outings at Totman Cove, and yes, that is the beach shown on the main page. This morning I was out early since the tides are now running extremely low (-1.3). As I walked out over the exposed sand and mushy earth, I kept finding small Moon Snails that had dug under the sand leaving a little trail. I've always considered Totman Cove as a nursery for these snails. The farther out we walked, the more Moon Snails we found, much larger. We even found one that had started to drill a hole in a Periwinkle. There were lots of live Sanddollars which are quite prevalent in this area.

We turned over a large rock and found a bonanza of sea life..........small Green Crabs, some with loads of eggs underneath, several small urchins and sea stars, and most interesting........a Nudibranch or Sea Slug that had just laid eggs! As we walked back to avoid the incoming tide, my companion found a white Dog Winkle Snail inhabited by a Hermit Crab with a small Oyster growing on its shell! That is what I call a "walking story"!

The birds are singing everywhere these days, and darting in among the leafed out bushes. I "pished" out several yellow birds, including this one I believe to be a Yellow Warbler. These birds are not passing through but nest in our area. I "bumped" into another yellow animal, but this time an insect, of the flying variety. I was doing some weeding and found a Swallowtail butterfly on the ground, and moving only slightly. I figured it had just emerged from its overwintering pupa, and was just hardening up its wings for flight. I carried it to a place where I could capture its image and here you have it. These butterflies are high fliers and hard to get close to, but my how beautiful! Since it is newly emerged, the wings are in perfect shape, complete with "tails".

So what is happening in your world? Now, it is back to gardening for me since the tide is now high again. I have planted potatoes, peas, beets, carrots, tomatoes, brussels sprouts, peppers, squash, cucumbers and pumpkins. I wonder if I forgot something?! The Irises are blooming to keep the Lilacs company, and my orange Poppies are popping as I write. It's time to get outside....for the beauty of the earth.

5/26/09 Ronnie in heaven, on earth.