We had a spell of warm weather before the May  18 fierce Cold Front brought in the  Continental Arctic air mass (cA) dropping morning temperatures to freezing.  During the warm spell we found these scenes….

I have been keeping my eyes open for this wild plum.  They are on almost all  of the back roads around here.  Sometimes the fruit, a small purplish plum matures.  Usually a black fungus consumes them during the summer.

Brown Thrasher eluding the photographer… near the northern boundary of its range.

Chestnut sided Warbler singing and gleaning near Big Lake.  It flits quickly so I was lucky to get these good photos:

First Family of Canada Geese ….

Another close-up of Northern Wild Raisin.   Soon that bunch of buds will expand into a white flowerhead typical of Viburnums.

Nice Pale Corydalis …

Little Painted Turtle in the ditch across the road from Sturgeon Bay Provincial Park…

May 19 was very cold.  Many flowers remained closed until noon.  Few insects were flying about.  And the birdies were quiet.  Resting.  So we got some flower pix …

Marsh Marigold in the spring stream along Boucher’s Pit Road…

The texture of Ontario’s Flower illuminated by a nice backlight…

First Aquilegia canadensis in bloom along the Boucher Pit Road…

Yes, the bright yellow chin and domed shell IDs this turtle as a one of the Species at Risk in Ontario.  When I stopped to photograph this fellow, I waited until the next car came along.  Its driver stopped to take its photo.  When the turtle reached safety we both drove off.  The other drive said that she often sees these turtles on this stretch of Hwy 529.

First appearance of this Lion’s Tooth seed ball.  This article from Mother Earth News says this:

Dandelion Gastronomy

All parts of the dandelion are edible and have medicinal and culinary uses. It has long been used as a liver tonic and diuretic. In addition, the roots contain inulin and levulin, starchlike substances that may help balance blood sugar, as well as bitter taraxacin, which stimulates digestion. Dandelion roots can be harvested during any frost-free period of the year and eaten raw, steamed, or even dried, roasted and ground into a coffee substitute. The flowers are best known for their use in dandelion wine, but they also can be added to a salad, made into jellies or dipped in batter to make dandelion fritters. The leaves are rich in potassium, antioxidants, and vitamins A and C. Dandelion greens can be eaten raw, steamed, boiled, sautéed or braised. For use in salads, greens should be harvested from new plants while still small and tender, before the first flower emerges. Larger greens tend to be tougher and more bitter, and better suited for cooking.

Do you remember this:    In Douglas’ words: “Dandelion wine. The words were summer on the tongue. The wine was summer caught and stoppered.”  ?

Enjoyment by humans seems to be a better fate for these plants than poisoning by humans, eh?

These Cattail  flowerheads are always good for the imagination:

Now, if we can just avoid another killing frost,  like a few years ago….. blueberry pie in August.

Time for a snack!

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