Shaking off the last of Winter

April 18th of last year, I was reporting in on the way spring was shaping up in Wisconsin. Ok, so spring comes a little later to these northern climes of Idaho - at least this year. The last 3 or 4 days I've noticed buds and leaves trying their best to make a new start. In fact, what I thought must be leaves coming out on the maples were actually flowers.

I love the lines of the tangle of branches in the background here.

It's been a bit windy, so no sooner had I shot some pictures than I noticed some of the blooms already fallen to the ground.

I truly don't remember this, though I surely must have seen it growing up. It was last year that I made this connection that trees other than the showy fruit trees and dogwoods and magnolias bloom each year to produce seeds and propagate. See this post from last year for a few examples.

I chalk it up to the fact that I must be more observant these days, what with my focus on trees and leaves in my quilting. I believe this is forsythia blooming next to, what else, a birch tree.