Sunday musings, Cinco de Mayo

     Ok, hubby is from El Paso, so I had to throw that in.  We have had a beautiful week for which I am thankful.  It has been cool enough for long sleeves, or even a jacket or sweater, but no rain.  That is about to change as the clouds are rolling in, the wind is gale force, it is almost coat chilly and we are set for 4 days of it. 
     I'll just look back at the photos of this week and dream of later in the week when going back outdoors is possible.  We saw our first snake of the year, sunning on our gravel driveway, just a juvenile black snake.

     He is welcome to stay as long as he limits his diet to moles, voles, mice, and chipmunks.  As soon as he discovers my eggs, he will be relocated far, far away.
     My walk yesterday afternoon gives you a glimpse of a part of the property not usually photographed or walked even.  I was on the road, the upper part of the property is rocky with scrub and trees with a runoff creek that makes it muddy.  The grass is more than knee deep making the rocks a challenge and giving the ticks a great place to hitch a ride, so I stay out of there.

Roadside wildflowers.  I don't know what they are, but they are shades of violet to white.

A creek side dogwood peaking through the trees.

And a young redbud, one of my favorite spring blooming trees, on the edge of the creek. The hayfields are so tall, that the turkeys are almost invisible, except when a Tom puffs his chest and spreads his tail.  Even the deer are able to hide.  It looks like a good hay year.
      After a one week strike of not getting in the car, we have gotten Ranger, the mastiff to get in my car from the front porch, 1 step up from the ground, and yesterday with a bit of coaxing from the ground.  He is balking at using the ramp or horse mounting steps to get in hubby's car which is higher. We think he has gotten spooked that they move a little under his 185 lbs.  At least the steps make a good stable ladder for me in the garage.  He is quite capable of jumping in, but doesn't realize it.  At least we took them for a ride yesterday.  Shadow, the shepherd would jump to the moon to get in.
     The garden is basically planted, except for beans and a second planting of peas, so the seedlings will enjoy the soaking rain of the next few days.  I will stay in and knit, spin, and read.