Dogwood Monday: Week 5

This morning my local NPR station, in preparation for a story about continuing Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts, noted that the opening of the Jersey Shore on Memorial Day is just 6 weeks away.  I was in the kitchen and immediately walked over to my calendar when I heard this announcement, which seemed patently unbelievable in this year of a very late Spring.  It would seem that my dogwood tree is attending more carefully to the calendar.   The recent rains and warmth have worked their magic, and the blooms are about ready to burst open.

Joining the dogwood in the backyard are some other blooms.  The fruit trees are greening up.

There are sunny daffodils lined up in front of the hosta bed.

In the garden patch is a lone daffodil bloom, a spot of brightness in my otherwise messy plot.  I didn't plant the bulb there and I suspect this is the work of my friend Pesky.

In the front yard, more daffodils are ready to open.  The tulips will shortly follow.  And the calendar does in fact promise that it's just six weeks until Memorial Day.  Given the degree to which these last weeks of class are an exhausting experience, that's a very good thing.