Weekly Header Challenge - Spring is Coming

It's time for the Weekly Header Challenge!

"Headbanger" Participants

Craver VII 

Fishing Guy 

Katney 

Imac 

Lew 

I'm joining in the group above for this weekly challenge.

Click on the other participants' blogs to see

what they've come up with!

Theme ~ Spring Is Coming

I needed some color in my life!!  I was happy, to say the least, with this week's theme.  We've had our third worst winter in recorded history here in Chicagoland, and many of us are longing for something other than white, and now, brown.  I was perfectly happy to choose the brightest, most colorful sign of spring that I could find.  Here is my full image, below.

Spring crocuses.

Birds returning to our area are also a welcome sign of spring.

Robin -- the iconic sign of spring.

Swans at a local bird rookery.

Geese at a pond at the end of my street.

For the past several years, the first birds we see as a sign of spring are Mr. and Mrs. Mallard.  They apparently live in our back yard, and our pool is their pond.  I hope they return this year, since our pool was a casualty of the many days of subzero weather.

Other animals emerge in spring, too.

Back to my header--flowers!  Anything green and growing is most welcome by this time of year!

Emerging day lilies.

Buds on a flowering tree.

Daffodils!

Crocus.

Scilla, a spring bulb with little blue/purple flowers.

Strawberry plants.

After the strawberry plants emerge, here is the yummy late spring blessing!

Planted in the autumn, garlic sprouts up in early spring.

Other signs of spring are rain.  The below, from last year, was too much of it.  This street, one of three main north/south arteries through our town, was closed for two or three days.

We found these duck eggs at a local park last spring!

The first day of grilling is an awesome spring day!  The below was our Resurrection Sunday meal; grilling has become a (very short so far) tradition.  If we continue the tradition this year, it's on April 20, so I really hope it won't be our first grilling day of the spring.  :)

Thanks, Lew, for choosing a theme that helps us all remember what we're looking forward to!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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365 Project -- #309-315

This is the time in my week when I look back at the images I've captured

throughout the previous week, and choose my seven favorites.

These seven--one for each day of the week--are featured below.

November 5 - November 11

Last week was an all-around nice week; so, let's get right to photos, shall we?

Even though our friends' dog Sunny does not like cameras, she seems to tolerate mine.  I captured some great shots of this old pup resting in front of the fireplace.  She sure has seen a lot of life.

[309] By the fire

Some explanation is needed for the next few shots.  Thomas had a science experiment involving an egg, vinegar, corn syrup, and distilled water.  Submerging the egg in each of these different liquids basically caused the shell to dissolve, and swelled the egg to abnormal size.  It looked like a glowing "orb of power" or some such science-fiction thing.  Thomas thought it was pretty cool.

[310] Experiment by Thomas

 [311] Glowing egg

When Danny came home from class, he handled the egg for just a minute.  However, an egg without its shell is fragile, and the shot below is the result.  It is pretty cool, and Danny cleaned up the mess.

[312] Mishap on the counter

Joe helped me bring up from the basement the last of the Northern Spy apples from our Michigan apple-picking trip.  I cored and peeled them, cutting off the brown spots, and they ended up becoming applesauce.

[313] Last of the apples

One day, I noticed the bright colors of some of the leaves in my front porch garden.  I grabbed my macro lens (duh!) and went back out to the porch.  The coral bells (marmalade) were especially colorful at this time of autumn.  I also experimented with some black and white images.  But then again, it is autumn and I love the brilliance of color.

[314] Autumn coral bells leaf

[315] Autumn coral bells leaf [B&W]

Lately, I've been closing my posts with Scripture.  I think I will do the same today.  :)

But let all who take refuge in You be glad,

Let them ever sing for joy;

And may You shelter them,

That those who love Your name may exult in You.

For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD,

You surround him with favor as with a shield.

Psalm 5:11-12 NASB

Treasuring life's moments,

Christine

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