spring is really on its way

While the weather this weekend seemed more like summer, my back yard reminds me it's still just spring. In fact, driving around the last few days I kept feeling surprised that so many trees were bare as I was wearing sandals and short sleeves.

But my back yard is all about spring. My crab apple tree is just getting ready to erupt. This morning the blooms were all closed; tonight some have started opening. The pictures below were both taken today - first one this morning, second one this afternoon.

That tree occupies most of my back yard, which wonderful on really hot summer days as it provides shade for the whole yard. It also makes gardening tough because there is so much shade. But these few short weeks when it blooms are clearly its finest hours of the year.