The Very Merry Month of May!

Lilacs bloom with spectacular fragrance May 1!

As I stand ready to dive into June, I realize what a crazy month May has been!!!

With "spring bustin' out all over," May has been alive with:

1.  A middle school band concert.

2.  An elementary school dance recital.

3.  Birthdays!

4.  Mother's Day!

After the rain, May 2.

5.  New birthdays with babies born!

6.  A friend's surgery and swift recovery.

7.  Another friend's recovery with a massive dose of antibiotics.

8.  Delivery of my artwork to a local gallery.

9.  A newspaper interview.

(https://www.mywindsornow.com/news/the-stick-artist-windsor-art-show-brings-local-artists-to-the-forefront/)

10.  An opening art reception.

May 3 raindrops linger on my pansies.

11.  A visit to North Dakota.

12.  Smelling my first wild roses.

13.  Smelling my first back yard roses.

14.  A picnic with friends on the banks of the very full Cache la Poudre River.

15.  Despite blooming in April, the bright yellow flowers of dandelions.

16.  A brilliant full moon.

17.  Graduations of all kinds.

18.  A family wedding to which the world was invited.

19.  Weekly lawn mowing begins.

20.  Memorial Day, in which we, with honor, respect and heartfelt gratitude, give thanks to all who serve and protect, with special remembrance to those who gave their lives to protect our freedom.

Six feet high and risin' on the Poudre River - May 18.

It was a GREAT month for walking, too -- 

coat, hat and gloves one day and sleeveless top and capris the next!  Temps range from 30s to 90s!

Of course I'm armed with my camera, so I thought I'd share some of my

IMAGES of May.

The Cache la Poudre begins to rise, with May 4 levels of less than five feet.

By May 18, the Cache la Poudre River is over six feet, with water levels higher and faster.

Bleeding hearts string along by May 6.

Bright red poppies bloom in early May.

Late afternoon sunlight streams through the lush, abundant crab apple blossoms
of our popular tree in the front yard May 9.

Even our pink crab apple blossoms are radiant this May!

I couldn't resist this Mother's Day orchid!

Trees are sprouting all sorts of interesting "blossoms."

Rain drops cling to a transitioning dandelion.

May brings abundant and powerful storms to northern Colorado and southern Wyoming.

A mid-May storm sweeps across the high country.

Driving into a storm over Memorial Day weekend.

After yesterday's storm, strange yellow-ish clouds blow southwest.

About mid-May, it seems like flowers of all kinds begin to bloom all at once!

May brings sudden hail storms, wild, confusing winds and soft, quiet mornings.

Hail resembles snow in my Secret Garden.

A quiet, still morning at pond's edge.

May is greening, blooming, brimming with bird songs and calls of all varieties.  There is a cacophony of lawn mowers, weed wackers, motorcycles and children playing outside.

After the rain, May 30.

Watching the sun set from our deck last night I am reminded that of all the months, May always seems to overflow with life.  It is a breath-taking adventure!

Edna - Part 2: She still has more to say!

Edna, Alexa's sassy maiden aunt from Wyoming, apparently has a LOT to say.

For a hands-free, voice-activated device that I mostly use for music, weather and adding items to the grocery list, Edna, who also lives in the Cloud, enjoys jumping into responses before Alexa (or, Siri, Tap, Echo, Dot etc.) have a chance to speak.

Just look at some of the additional answers she's sharing with my family and friends:

B.Y.:  Edna, how long will it take me to get to the hospital?

Edna:  That depends on why you're going.

I was also surprised that while she is Edna to me (and sounds suspiciously like my 4th grade teacher,) she is Aunt Edna to some of my friends and sounds like one's Mother or Ethel Merman.

J.S.:  Aunt Edna, I would really like to lose some weight.  What should I do?

Aunt Edna:  Stop eating so much.

Or...

A.S.:  Aunt Edna, what is the fastest route to my destination.

Aunt Edna:  What's your hurry?  Slow down.  Enjoy the ride!

And, Aunt Edna does not hesitate to suggest what one ought to say and to remember to speak up and enunciate clearly.   She is happy to offer life advice, too.


S.N.:  Edna, what time is it?

Edna:  It's never too late.

Ah, salient, pithy, steady words from that other voice in the Cloud.