Our conditions this week were Near Normal with 0.05" of rain and temperatures mostly below seasonal average except for a couple days where highs got into the 70's (F). Grass is growing enough to require mowing. Fruit trees, red-buds and lilacs are blooming. Bushes and maple trees are leafed out; and oak, black walnut, sycamore and catalpa trees are in early leaf stage. Tulips, hyacinths, dandelions, vinca, phlox, bleeding hearts, a few irises and columbine are blooming. Hasta, solomon seal, and ferns are growing lushly. The ground is still soft from all the April rains and everything looks lush. Gold finches, wax wings, and orioles have been spotted in the neighborhood.