I was out in the yard shooting these lovely signs of spring just minutes before we had a policeman with a semi-automatic rifle and another with a German shepherd dog staking out the kids' old fort in the backyard. There was a home invasion / robbery down the street. Our elderly neighbor was assaulted and ended up in the hospital with a broken jaw. And the perp was on the loose in the neighborhood. Things like this don't usually happen here. I don't have the instincts of a reporter, so went completely slack-jawed and did not get any photos of the ensuing excitement. I post here only the proof of nature's fecund blessings in our yard.
wild violets. Why would anyone want to get rid of these to plant ugly, boring grass?
Florida anise (Illicium floridanum)
Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus L.)
Butterfly weed (Asclepias curassavica)
Ginger sprout and buddha in the grandma garden.
and (of course) azaleas
