I always hear orioles before I see them. This guy was in the yard yesterday morning, so I quickly sliced a tangerine and put it out on the garden stand. In about two minutes he was there. He spent day making trips back and forth to the garden stand from the apple tree. I spent a lot of the day trying to get a good shot of him from behind a large pine tree just this side of the garden.

The photo below was taken this morning, he was back and brought a friend this time. I thought it was a female until I checked my Audubon bird book. You can’t tell so much from this shot, but another photo I took at the same time showed the one on the right holding down the tangerine  with one foot.

This eastern pine elfin came out of the woods to feast on the mass of dandelions in our backyard this year. The grass is quite tall, and full of bees, butterflies, and tiny Savannah Sparrows.

I have never been sure if these are really wild, or if they escaped a garden that used to be here. However they got here, I love them and look forward to the first blossoms each year.

One of the many bees working the flowers this week. A few bumblebees were so large that the dandelions bent to the ground when they landed. More photos coming  later.

Check out  this pretty pink geranium I picked up last Saturday at the grocery store. Being partial to pinks, I have several different varieties, and this one will go with with my collection. The tag in the pot said Maiden Iced Wine. I know that is wrong after looking at some photos on the internet. Iced Wine  is very dark with pink edges, nothing like this. Could this be Maiden Raspberry Swirl? If anyone recognizes it, please let me know.

Trees and bushes don’t have to be green or in bloom to be lovely. These shots were taken on the Eastern Promenade in Portland, Maine last Sunday, as I walked toward the bushes. I wonder how long until they bloom?