Every May, our backyard undergoes a spectacular costume change.  Our family considers it all the more glorious because we remember when it retained the drab, unadorned look of a concrete wasteland all year long.  See Up from the Concrete, Roses, May 2012.  As the month begins, our twin red maples start the cycle and burst into brilliant foliage.  When the sun shines, they absolutely glow. 

By mid-May, the Double Knock-Out Roses by the fence are overloaded with flowers.

The pale pink climbing roses on the garage trellis join the party next.   A gray catbird, visible on the fence at far left, has been busy making a nest in one of our red maples.  A pair of cardinals claimed a spot among the trellis roses.

Kiko gazes at the world beyond our fence, which also gets a May makeover.

At the very beginning of the month, the scruffy, thorny, typically disheveled locust trees by our driveway dress up and perfume the air with their delicate white blossoms.

The many pockets of heavily wooded public land in our neighborhood are lush and fragrant every May with an abundance of honeysuckle and wild white roses.

This most beautiful and sweet-smelling month is drawing to a close, once again, all too soon.

Savor these last May days.

Count today, and be glad that there are two still to be enjoyed!