It is April

 

now that the wild winds and dust storms are over...........

I open the doors and windows to let in the fresh spring air, and along with it come the melodic sounds of the wild song birds.......all drifting delightfully through the house. 

(yellow headed blackbird)

The feel of the coolness and the sounds of the birds, make me want to go out and either take a long walk amongst it all  with Sophie or to get my garden tools and to find a spot of earth to create a lovely haven..........somewhere.  

 Taboo has even been enticed from his perfect napping spot by the lure of the birds chatter and the smell of fresh earth and grass.  He looks out and chatters back to the birds.

No matter how dry and crackled everything has been through this particularly harsh winter,  there is nothing better than the outside awakening to life after a spring rain. 

The wild flowers are starting to cover the grounds

and the antelope are lingering in grassy places among the fields to graze.  They are amazing graceful animals.  I see this group almost each time as I head to the post office. 

I have named this fellow Pharaoh. 

He stands proud and majestic with his flock of females as I stop to take a photo. 

This pretty weather also makes me want to work on garden spaces in the dry gardens.  I am all excited about the process at this time of year..........then as the cool weather turns to heat and dry ground........I am less energetic to proceed.  So I get busy and hope to get finished before that time gets here.  

 I picked a perfect hot day last week and worked with my cement ideas.  I have previously made cement planting bowls to make the gardens of cactus more welcoming.

I have been wanting to make spheres for these garden spaces. I am thrilled at how these turned out. 

 I used cement dye for the colorful ones. 

 Now I am trying to figure out the perfect spot for each one. 

I am not sure as to what I want to plant along the grounds and flower beds of the house.........the ground squirrels, also being awakened,  have made their presence known.  They are a challenge to me and eagerly rid my gardens of any thing I am successful at getting to sprout.  They have ruined each pumpkin patch I have tried to get going for the past 3 years.  However, I am not giving up.............. I am working with containers this year.....hoping to be able to grow things and to keep them growing this way without pests bothering them. 

For this time, I am simply enjoying nature and freshness of the new earth pushing up the colorful wildflowers.

I hope this finds the spring rains and fresh air have awakened you to days filled with the beauty of nature and the energy to get out amongst it all for a walk to just linger and enjoy!