Lazy Sunday Afternoon

We had a pleasant Sunday for late March, with a temp of 70F -- that's more than 20 degrees above the norm for this time of year. As the weather is to take a big nose dive this evening, I decided to take advantage of all that sunshine, grabbed the sunscreen, hat and camera, and headed for the Arboretum. Though there was a guided walk today, I decided to skip that and go a little later, to avoid the full wrath of the sun. Hundreds of others had the same idea.

Longenecker Gardens is redolent with flowering trees right now, particularly magnolia, white crabapple, and quince. Others, such as the red crabapple blossoms and lilacs are just beginning to bud.

These yellow daffodils proved a popular background, as parents positioned babies and young children in front of them for an impromptu spring photo shoot. There were also paler daffodils under a more distant tree, but their circle wasn't quite as full as this one.


Many brought along a book to read and found a quiet bench in the shade...


Or set out blankets and towels to bask in the sun.


Though most brought along a camera, some opted for art supplies instead.


The trails and bike paths were also crowded, teeming with joggers and bicyclists (some even wore the recommended safety helmets).


Still others opted for a more leisurely stroll through the gardens or along the wooded trails. I actually did both, since I had to walk through wooded sections to reach Longenecker Gardens, and then again to return home. I'd say I walked at least six miles, all told. No wonder I'm so tired tonight! I did see three hawks, two deer and two cranes today, but was not able to get any pics.

Monday's temp is only supposed to be 48, with wind and rainy conditions. Thankfully, this drop down into the sphere of "normal" temperatures isn't to last long, and we will be back up in the 70s before we know it. Hopefully the flowers do not suffer any from this cold spell!