Signs of Spring

As the weather has been warming, we have been delighted to spend more and more time outside!  This is a picture of Jasper climbing a tree at Tryon Creek State Park.  They will be having their annual Trillium Festival on April 10 & 11 http://www.tryonfriends.org/trillium-festival.html but the trilliums are already beginning to bloom.

Speaking of amazing urban parks, we visited the Audubon Society of Portland's Sanctuary for the first time yesterday.  It's absolutely gorgeous!  I was very surprised to see how well maintained the trails are, and there is a wooden pavilion and many wooden bridges and boardwalks to keep you out of the mud.  Many of the trees and wildflowers are identified.  And it's such a joy to have a place you can take even a very short walk and really experience nature with your children.  The Wildlife Care Center has some outdoor aviaries where you can see a raven and a vulture, both of which imprinted on humans at a young age and are now unable to feed themselves in the wild, but otherwise seem to be perfectly healthy birds.  They are both large birds and really impressive to see up close!  It will be exciting when my son is old enough to enjoy the stealth that is required to go on one of their many guided birding expeditions.  http://audubonportland.org/