The Changing Seasons, May 2021

These seems to have been my month for flowers. Because the feeders are down, there are no new birds and I miss them. But it's May which is the peak month for flowers in North America. The flowers are also why Memorial Day (originally Decoration Day, as in "Decoration with flowers" day is at the end of May. That's when all the flowers are up and everyone could bring flowers to the graves of Veterans.

We haven't done much of anything. We don't have to wear masks at the grocery store and restaurants -- what few remain -- are open. COVID is more or less over in Massachusetts.

I don't know what the situation is elsewhere, but it has gotten pretty quiet around here. Hospitals are allowing guests. I think the only place where they aren't allowing guests is our veterinarian. I'm not sure why, but hey, okay. Whatever.

The town and the garden have been the center of pretty much everything. Both inside and outside. Orchids and Anthurium. Rhododendron and Columbine.

Otherwise, life has been pretty quiet. I've been pretty quiet too. Writing less, photographing more. Thinking that after 11,500 posts, I've said everything I wanted to say at least once and probably two or three times. Maybe more.

Whether or not I am writing, photography has been wonderful. Birds and flowers have kept me from going wacko during the long, long, LONG lockdown.

The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly project where bloggers around the world share their thoughts and feelings about the month just gone. We all approach this slightly differently — though generally with an emphasis on the photos we've taken during the month.

For many of us, looking back over these photos provides the structure and narrative of our post, so each month is different.

Photo: Owen Kraus

Others focus on documenting the changes in a particular project — such as a garden, an art or craft project, or a photographic diary of a familiar landscape.

But in the end, it is your changing season, and you should approach it however works for you.

There are no fixed rules around post length or photo number — just a request that you respect your readers' time and engagement.