Beautiful swimmer

This beautiful young swimmer was just a tadpole with a long tail. Then presto! Long legs. These are tiny frogs, maybe an inch and a half but they'll get to be big boys by the end of the summer.

The magnificent Linden tree at Chanticleer

The springtime blooms of this great Linden tree mix fragrance with the adjacent gardenias and make a heady perfume. Friday evening at dusk is the perfect time to enjoy the gardens at Chanticleer in Devon, PA when friends gather in groups for picnics where so many creative seating options can be discovered. Some people sat at this railing to enjoy the panorama beyond. My favorite place is the wonderful stone sofa near the romatic ruin.

A green apple muncher

He doesn't care if the apples are green and hard as a rock. He's the same guy who goes to the tippy top of the fig tree to get the biggest, most succulent fruit and sits perched way out of reach filling his chubby cheeks. Of course the figs will take another month. But he's already got them on his list.

The robins flew the nest!

How was I to know that the day I took this picture was their last? Maybe I worried them and hastened their flight. But I don't think so because those robin parents were so diligent and took such excellent care of their young. They wouldn't have done anything wrong. Look at that sturdy nest. They made a point of following me with my garden chores as I was digging in the compost pile. I know that every time I took a load away they swooped in to get the fat worms.

A view of the pond through the garden room

The pond is small but so important. Butterflies and dragonflies visit. I like to think the frogs keep the mosquitoes under control but they miss a lot. We'll add fish when it's warm, and though the pond's deep enough for fish to winter over, this winter was an exception. The saddest thing several years ago was when the goldfish grew large enough to be noticed by the raccoons who went fishing one night in a clumsy bout with the waterlilies. The fountain hasn't worked for years—would be awfully nice for the sound of water trickling. Watching the fish swimming from the second floor is an unexpected pleasure.

Carp at Chanticleer

Everything is so perfect at Chanticleer! It's a big reminder of our own annual pond cleanup. Our little pond in the center of a formal garden where the frogs have already set up residence. The draining of the pond is always a big worry about disrupting their reproduction. I guess it's time for me to keep a serious garden journal. All the waterlilies need separating. They grow like crazy. A sunny day is necessary for this job—too chilly now to think of getting wet.

A hatchling

Almost hidden, this baby is already a strong flyer. Let's see if I can track the change in color. I'm wondering how long it takes.