Rock Garden delights

I'm still getting used to all the greenery once more...and all the colour from the flowers ! Today the Hummingbirds arrived in the garden...exactly a year to the day from their arrival date last year. How do they do it ? So many mysteries in Nature!

After months of working in the cold with snow and ice it takes awhile to get back into the rhythm of creating these sorts of sculptures... they are so much more complicated to construct. I love doing the stonework bits...this one does not have a lot of stone to it, but the trail leading up to the cottage has a lot more steps not in the photo. Bumblebees kept crashing the scene - so busy with their work. Birds are courting and nesting ...everything is rushing headlong into warmer weather with glee. As I was shooting this photo a strange sound started happening overhead....then I realized...the new leaves were out and the wind was rustling through them...it always surprises me this first recognition of leaves high up overhead. For nearly half a year the forest has been quiet and reserved. Now it is brimming over with the sounds of new life. It is sometimes a bit overwhelming after the long, deep stillness of winter. But in-between the bird songs and bee drones, it almost seems as if one can hear tiny giggles and laughter coming from under the violet leaves as they sparkle in the morning sun.