Looking back several years on my blog in the month of May we have always been traveling. Some of it due to it being the time of year when Rick’s company has training for salespeople in various places/countries and some was just for fun. It’s fun to look back and see what I was doing on a particular day years ago. Do you ever look at the sidebar on the blog under “On This Day …?” Lately our trip to San Miguel, Mexico and Lyon, France have been showing up. Last year this time we were in Panama.

This year however there has been no travel. Rick’s company decided to do the training right here in New Jersey so all the salespeople could see the factory where the cameras are made and since their hotel was just over the river from Manhattan in Weehawken they got to sample the city as well.

It feels strange not to be going somewhere. But, that changes at the end of this month.

We decided that after always taking our Colorado cabin vacation in the fall, this year we would switch it up and go in June instead. So, on the 26th you will find us all packed into our Suburban heading west. Hopefully this way we will get to see some moose and the wildflowers in bloom. Here too! Hopefully we won’t be too early for the flowers but since everything is ahead of schedule there (and here) this year it should work out.

Did I just say we were leaving on the 26th? Ack! Today is the 10th! Must. start. planning. NOW. I just finished up the cabin laundry. I had all the clothes done as soon as we got back last year but I just left all the linens and towels in the spare room. You know how is. You have the best of intentions to do them soon but then you forget. Or at least I do. Out of sight, out of mind.

Last weekend we made this tasty asparagus tart. It was easy: puff pastry, gruyere cheese, asparagus spears. Next time I might try spreading the puff pastry with a little dijon mustard under the cheese like I do with my tomato tart.

We also enjoyed a fire in our little outdoor fire pit after dinner.

And in case you’ve been wondering about Bella’s adorable but quirky little “do” you’ll be glad to know it’s been kept due to popular demand. Somehow it just suits her silly persona. No matter what we do it doesn’t stay down for long!

Looking forward to the weekend we have no set plans as yet. Well, maybe one thing is on our agenda: the Warwick Farmer’s Market has its opening day on Sunday. I’m sure we’ll hop into Mia and take a look at what goods are available. Even if the offerings are sparse at this time of year it’s a lovely drive and always enjoyable.

I just came in from listening to our froggy chorus outside. The rain over the past few days has helped our peepers in their peeping progess. Wow. Try saying that a few times in a row! It’s peaceful and restful and makes me wish I could just sleep outside under the stars with the peepers as a musical backdrop. Sadly, I prefer my bed thank you very much.

I was gone most of the day, but as I sat and looked out towards the deck around 4:00 p.m. tonight I saw the first hummingbird! Looking back on my blog in 2008, the hummers first arrived about two days ago. So, I guess they are right on track. The one hummingbird must be a baby because he has not yet figured out how the feeder works. When I saw the hummer fly by I got excited and immediately went to fill the feeder and hang it on the hook. The bird came to the feeder but was hanging around the bottom and never quite getting to the feeder holes above. We watched this bird struggle time and time again; never quite getting it. We saw two others that were fighting with each other so we know we have at least three and one is a bit slow. It’s nice to see them back again.

When the Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks arrive I know it’s Spring. We only have these lovely birds for a week or so, then they move on to wherever they live in New Jersey besides our back yard. Here are two males.

Each of them has a slightly different rose pattern on their breast. Take a look.

Beautiful, aren’t they? They just arrived on Wednesday as our company left. Now I have to keep a keen eye out for the hummingbird’s arrival which usually happens around Mother’s Day which is coming up on the 13th of May. I expected them early this year because of the earlier than normal Spring, but maybe they will come exactly on time.

But our weather has been a bit strange. One day we had over 90 degrees F, then we’ve had chilly weather for the past week with rain and temperatures barely reaching 60 degrees F some days. Last night at 1:15 (or should I say this morning?) we had our first thunderstorm of the year. It’s having a hard time making up its mind.

On Monday we took a walk in Skylands Botanical Garden. Here are a few blooming things that we saw.

The azaleas were magnificent!

Breathe deeply and you might catch a whiff of sweet lilacs! Sheer heaven!

Peony Power!

I don’t know what this is, but I like it.

The forest ferns had a good start; better than mine!

And these unique and lovely Jack-in-the-Pulpits were out on the forest edge all by themselves. It looks like they are having a conversation. They are truly interesting looking plants.

I do love Spring—even when it’s fickle!

Lately I’ve been noticing reflections and shadows around the house. Maybe it’s the angle of the sun this time of year because I don’t always notice them.

Here are a few I’d like to share with you.

Reflection of lights in our new cookware.

Shadow of window blinds.

Outdoor light shadow on the house siding.

The next group of photos are all due to the glass in our front door at various times of the day.

This is the same spot as the above photo was taken by the grandfather clock but at a slightly different time of day.

The window pane pattern repeated on the front entry walls.

Besides walls it also decorates carpeting ...

...and dogs as Hailey demonstrates in this photo.

I just got back from taking Alex for a walk even though it’s a bit blustery out there today. As we passed the little wooded area in front of our house it was hard to miss the large areas of bright orange on one of the cedar trees. What the heck?

At first I thought it might be mushrooms since it just appeared since our rain the other day. On closer inspection nearly all the cedar trees in that area were oozing orange goo. It looked like something from outer space! Yuck! You know me, had to grab the camera.

This tree had a different pattern of goo.

Up close and gelatinous! It’s very wet and sticky.

When I came in I googled “orange goo on cedar trees” and came up with something called quince rust. In a way I was right in thinking it was a mushroom since it is actually the fruiting body of a fungus. Here is a link to a pretty good article about it. It says it won’t permanently harm the tree, so that’s good.

Still … it’s very weird. What do you think? Would you like to have some orange goo of your own? I can scrape some off and send you some!