May Is When Things Change

I was downloading pictures from my phone, most of which are of K3 and Toad from recent Fridays, and I was struck by the clothing changes from one week to the next.  It kind of points out how May weather in Michigan can vary widely from week to week (or even day to day).  Today, for instance, it is very sunny, a tad humid, rained overnight but is all dry by noon, and the temperature is already near 80 degrees Fahrenheit shortly after lunch. It's a rather warm day for May; very summer-like.

This is part of a warm spell that moved in late last week.  Pictures from this past weekend show the grandkids in shirt sleeves.  Pictures from the week before show clouds and winter coats (albeit unzipped) because the high temperature was in the low 50s and the wind was chilly.

Despite the coolness, clouds, and coats, K3 and Toad had fun climbing on and jumping off the pile of straw bales near the garden, and picking enough dandelions to fill the pockets of my chore jacket.

This past weekend, the temps were around 70 degrees, and they enjoyed exploring the mostly dried up mud spots in the field, finding animal tracks (deer, raccoon, turkey), and even finding a whole bunch of tadpoles.  They had never seen tadpoles before, and we spent some time trying to catch them while I explained that they were baby frogs and toads even though right now they kind of look like fish.  We did manage to catch a few in our cupped hands, but the water ran out our fingers, so we quickly put the infant amphibians back before they dried out.  Hopefully we'll get enough rain to keep those the mud spots wet this week, and when the grandkids come back to visit this Friday we can check to see if the tadpoles have grown legs yet.

This weekend also found us saying goodbye to DD2 for the next six weeks as she began her Peru adventure.  I have to admit, it was kind of strange seeing my youngest child standing in line at the airport, waiting to go through security.  She's never flown alone before, in fact, she was only ten years old the last time she was on an airplane.

But she's not so very young anymore.  In fact, she's nearly the same age I was when DH and I moved away together and I suddenly had my own home to care for.  Time flies.

While she is gone, there will be much here for me to do.  It's time to get the garden planted in earnest.  And grandkids to spend time with on Fridays.  And, possibly, a new horse to get to know.