A Pattern

Aaaah, Spring.

 Today's big surprise - a blooming crocus! I didn't even notice that this one had sprouted, so when I saw the bright yellow as I was sitting outside in the arbor eating my lunch, it was a beautiful surprise.

Yes, you read that correctly, I ate my lunch outside today. It was a gorgeous, bona fide spring day. We've had an interesting weather pattern lately:
Saturday: Highs in the 30s
Sunday: Highs in the 40s
Monday: Highs in the 50s
Tuesday: Highs in the 60s
Wednesday: Highs in the 70s

The high here was 74.3ºF, to be specific, although it did reach 80 elsewhere in Connecticut. Tomorrow is supposed to be about the same temperature as today, but raining. So... Not expecting the 80s here tomorrow. I am glad we topped out in the 70s, because that's my favorite weather. Still... I hate to complain, but this all seems very wrong. We didn't really have winter, and now it's March 9th - still winter astronomically - and we're getting summer weather? I am a bit worried. 2015 was the warmest year on record. This winter has been the warmest winter on record. And now we are getting summer temperatures before winter is even over? I am concerned about what the real summer is going to be like.

But I am not going to complain right now, because today was a beautiful day.

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 Assassin bug nymph. On the same garden post as yesterday's BBotD. There was something else on there today, too, but more on that anon.

Since the temperature was above 60ºF, and it was sunny, I expected to find leaf hoppers on the mountain laurel...

 ... and I did. And they were trying to produce a new generation of leaf hoppers.

There were many, many, many little flying things around the yard today...

 Here's two of them.

 Not sure if this is a fly or a wasp. I did see a LOT of wasps today, but they were generally very busy and did not want to pose for pictures.

I thought this was kind of funny:

 Just a nut in a hole in a tree. I don't know why I thought it was funny, but I did.

Oh! And when I went outside for Sky Time this evening I could hear peepers! It must really be spring!

Once again there were a LOT of spiders around the backyard, and they were mostly different species than the ones I saw yesterday. I think I have seen about 10 different species of spiders over the last two days. Arachnid Appreciation:
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 Jumping spider on the garden post - different species than I saw yesterday

 I think this is the same species of jumping spider I saw yesterday.

 One day I will look this up... Well, one day I will have a book that has a better spider section in it and will be able to look it up. I saw several of these today.

 Mite, not a spider. But still an arachnid.

 Spider with its prey

 Same spider, side view

 Same spider...

 Have you ever wanted to pet a spider? No? Just me, then?