Spring's First Green is Gold - Silver Maples

The swollen buds on the Silver Maples in my backyard are beginning to open, and the top sun-soaked branches are already in full bloom. I start to use binoculars to look for foraging bees on the high limbs at about this time each year, and I fill my bloom calendar with one of the first reassuring dates that the bees will be OK.

I've done this every year for as long as I care to remember, but this year, the ritual carries the weight of clearing away the residue of 2020. The welcoming of spring this year seems especially encouraging. No matter what events the past winter held, spring offers renewal, and keeping bees provides a unique understanding of the saying that "spring's first green is gold".

Enjoy your bees!