We are in the big transition from early to full-on spring. Because I get up early and work outdoors, I tend to overdress. By mid-day the shedding of clothing has begun. My truck turns into a closet and/or a laundry basket. Then, exhausted by day’s end, nothing gets brought inside.

Now, I’m just plain whining. The days are simply beautiful — not too hot, no major insect pests have emerged and the sun is still our friend.

Where to start — there are so many plant observations?

Lily of the Valley are up and just about to bloom. They are so lovely but only for a short time. By summer they brown and are unattractive. One time I dug up several large out-of-place clumps and tossed them into the woods upside down. They are still there and thriving happily. Go figure!

(Side note: why do folks say figger? I learned the word as fig yours.)

Now is the time to develop a more positive relationship with one’s weeds. I have so many that are actually blooming right now and seem to be attractive to honeybees.

Wild mustards and ajuga make a nice combination. Too bad they are choking out their planted neighbors.

The old-fashioned ground cover vinca (aka periwinkle) are a blue carpet right now.

I saw my first hummingbird. It was feeding on bright blue Virginia bluebells and the red quince. One time I was watering and a humming bird took a shower not two feet from my hand. I didn’t dare move. I guess a creature that moves so quickly can afford to be brave.

Speaking of watering, I did one of my least favorite tasks this week — the hauling of hoses. How is it that no matter how carefully a person puts them away in the fall, they end up a tangled mess.

My friend, Sharlee, called to report her first Baltimore oriole. I usually get them when the apple tree is in full bloom.

I’ve had some giant alliums for years. They are impressive and last quite awhile. Even as the flower fades they still look good. But they do have an annoying habit. The tips of the strap — like leaves — all turn brown. It has already happened and they are yet to bloom.

I asked my son, Jeremiah, why his (and my) yellow magnolia had so few flowers. Mine had been covered with very promising buds. He mentioned last week’s frost as the culprit. The buds froze, turned brown, and fell off. That particular frost was so heavy at my house that the chickens water had ice in the morning. I hope it does not affect this year’s hydrangea bloom. A late freeze resulted in sparse, if any, flowers last summer.

Big praise goes out to whoever planted the big heart-shaped stand of daffodils at the Lambert’s Cove Road cemetery. What a nice memory of someone’s much-loved family member.

I noticed a similar smaller heart of pansies at the Vineyard Haven Post Office. There is, what I call a daffodil Martha’s Vineyard, in the bed at the exit of the parking lot.

As I took the left fork to Katama on Tuesday, I noticed a man with a bucket of what I assumed were seeds. He was tossing them in the newly tilled large area opposite Ernie Bock’s llama field. I bet he was seeding cosmos as last year’s planting was a bit hit.

I’m not a fan of Howard Stern. He’s even too vulgar for me and I have contributed a fortune to the cuss-bucket over the years. However, I listened to his interview with Joe Biden and my opinion of him did a 180-degree turn. He was downright tender and respectful of the President.

Joe told several anecdotes from his past that made him more relatable and Howard was very attentive and kind, especially when hearing about the accident that claimed the lives of his first wife and baby daughter.

It sure beat his interview a few years ago with the former guy.