BLESS MY BLOOMERS

As I started up our long driveway on the way back from dropping g-son at school this morning I saw this large hawk watching me as I drove closer. I had to make this pic through the windshield so it isn't very clear but I think it is a Coopers Hawk which are fairly common around here.

I wondered out loud as he flew away if this was my chicken killer ??
After chores and breakfast I walked in the bottom pasture. The skies are starting to get cloudy ahead of the front that is headed here to bring rain later tonight and tomorrow.

The old Maple tree stump makes an interesting reflection in the farm pond.

This young Dove looks bewildered.

As I walked today I looked around at all the beauty of this time of year and at all the new growth that only spring can bring. I wondered where the word "spring" came from and who decided to name this season that ?  I actually looked this up online and found that the word spring describes the springing up of new growth and about 500 years ago in the 1500's it was began to be used to describe the season following winter. Spring replaced the word "lenten" which had previously been used to describe this season of the year.  Interesting info, what in the world did we do before internet ?????
This is the bloomers around my yard today.
I have several varieties of Iris that are in full bloom now.

My double blossom Clematis is also showing off this year.

The sweet aroma from this pot of Dianthas is wonderful.

I have this large  bush growing in the backyard but can't recall it's name.

These Sage blossoms make a colorful and tasty addition to salads.

Some of the Azaleas are still blooming with all the cool weather of the past several weeks.

I spent the rest of the morning baking 12 more caramel, 2 chocolate,3 pound and 1 wine cake for market tomorrow along with some house cleaning duties that get done on Fridays.
After lunch the clouds had taken over the sky but the temperature of low 70's was so nice I had to spend some time outside doing some yardwork and filling in some holes the dogs have dug around the foundation of our house chasing ground squirrels.
Our renter Rebecca is on schedule to go back to work tonight if they need her and since her new baby girl is going to spend time with me until her dad gets home from work I decided to get some caramel cakes iced early today.
She called and said thankfully there isn't enough patients for her to be needed yet,she was happy.
After I got the evening chores done and sat outside to relax for a while #2 son called and asked if I would bring his jeep title to a nearby dealership where he was trading it for a Toyota Tacoma pick-up.
Since he discovered the excessive oil usage in his jeep motor and found out online that this was a problem with the motor he had he has been looking at these trucks. We found a petition on line with over 600 jeep owner signatures that were having the exact same problem he was. Many of them had been told by their jeep dealers that one quart every 1000 miles was normal usage!!!
This is the truck he traded for,it is exactly the color he wanted and has a straight drive transmission.

I came home and finished icing cakes and loaded so we could get to market early for a "Golden Age Celebration" in downtown.
Thanking God tonight for all the blessings of His glorious creations.
Good Night and God Bless.