Though we didn’t do anything unusual or extravagant, this reporting period saw us really busy. Gardening was a high priority. We worked lots of hours trimming shrubs, and neatening up various be in front, chipping shrub trimmings for mulch, and adding plants to the butterfly garden.

A couple of “first of year” bird species made an appearance. “Our” Green Heron arrived on Wednesday, April 24, and should remain here for the rest of the season. This will be the tenth year that this bird and/or members of its family have been here almost daily during the season. Here’s a photo.

And then early Thursday morning, April 25, a couple of Baltimore Orioles came by to check out the hummingbird feeder. We immediately put out an orange half and they decimated it; so, we put out another. And then, after they ate all of its pulp, we bought a bag, but the ensuing orange halves were never touched. They left our place on Sunday morning, April 27. I was never able to get a good photograph, but here’s one from April 28, 2018, when a number of Baltimore Orioles were visiting enmass for about a week.

In addition to gardening and picture taking, most of the days during this reporting period were filled with golf and pickleball.