Sit Spot Day 24

Tues Apr 7 (Day 24). 5:45 PM. Cold day, never really got over 40, and I was resistant to go out. Clouds medium heavy but thinner at the zenith, and after 20 min the sun actually came out, just touching my head before disappearing behind the house. Pond mildly ripply. 2 blackbirds in the maple, making their usual longer call but sounding a little dispirited, sort of flat. Beaver nosing slowly through the water near the island, brief glimpse of his torso before he dives. I look at my purple flower, having checked Newcomb's Wildflower Guide and seen that if the petals have bristles on the tips then it's a "blue-eyed grass", although that says "late spring, early summer". But it's the only 6 petalled, blue, basal leaves only flower in the book. All the same, no bristle. Deep purple, 3 to 5 flowers in a raceme, flower stalk reddish, the yellow in the middle seems to be the stamens, the leaves are shorter than the flower stalk, 2-3 inches long, 1/4 inch wide if flattened but the two edges of the long, narrow, entire leaf curl toward each other,meeting at the tip, looks like a good system to catch water. There're a lot coming up now. There's also another new plant, probably a plantain, already over 2 inches long little clump of leaves all growing from the same spot, a "basal rosette" slightly hairy, distinct vein down the middle. So much growing here! Would that I had that many edibles coming up in a garden! Meanwhile, I glance back at the pond and receive my Surprise of the Day: a flock of 20 or 30 swallows. Swooping and gliding over the pond in the sun, flashing white on one side, dark on the other, back and forth, occasionally shifting over the field, together and apart. Brings back hot August summers, my mother sharing my delight at the swooping birds, late afternoon, while she goes about making dinner. So much for staying present...