OT - Signs of Spring! :o)

THis looks like what we call "pussy willow".

Higs, Katherine

I know what you mean about the winds. The flag from the school across the street ended up in the corner of the parking lot beside us yesterday, and some of the road signs were flapping back and forth furiously (they'll have to get around to tightening those or they'll be out in farmers' fields).

Yep, I was at the bank yesterday and in the little park right beside it I noticed some daffodils poking up out of the ground... buds are on the trees too.

Oh me too. In fact I told Matthew last night to schedule in some time for doing around the house stuff this weekend. There are branches to burn (if it's not raining again like it did last weekend before we had the chance to burn them), and a few other things to tend to outside as well as inside. I have to remind him to schedule in some time for this stuff, because even though he works at a computer eight hours a day all week long... he will come home and sit at the computer for hours on end chatting with online friends and/or playing computer games with his best friend or even on his own. Honestly... I have seen people who work where he works (who have headsets on all day long talking on the phones) come out the door and

*immediately* their hands (with cellphones in them) go up to their ears. For the life of me I can't understand why anyone would be remotely interested in talking on a phone or sitting in front of a computer in their off-time, when they have been doing these things all day. Matthew says "Yeah, but when I do it at home it is for enjoyment.. not stressful stuff that I do at work." Still... get outside and get some fresh air, sunshine, and exercise before your arteries start to harden! Jeesh!

I do love hearing birdsong in the morning, and the cooing of the doves. It is a little funny about the doves though, because my Mom used to say they were crying for rain... and nine times out of ten it *did* rain... so when they start up after we have already had as much rain as we'd like, we tend to sit there saying (inside the house where no one can hear us) "SHUT UP.... WE'VE HAD ENOUGH RAIN ALREADY!!!" LOL Your woodpecker bit made me smile. I've found myself standing in the backyard looking around at all the different trees trying to find where the woodpecker is because you can clearly hear the tttttttttttttt of him pecking at the branches. One day I happened to be standing at the kitchen sink when I saw one up close. He was in the lilac bush just outside the window at first, then moved on to what he must have thought was a branch of a tree. He was actually on the metal pole that holds my clothesline... he only pecked at it VERY briefly, and stopped fast looking at it with his head on the side then he jumped back to a branch of the lilac bush again. I had to laugh, it looked so cute!

That homemade suet that your husband makes for the birds sounds neat. What does he put it in to freeze? Like ice-cube trays or something? I know you can buy suet balls wrapped in plastic wrap at the grocery store for under $2.00. I was wondering if they mix the stuff, let it set a bit so that it semi-hardens and *then* roll it into balls much like you would make a snowball?

This morning I saw three male robins all together in the back yard. VERY bright red chests on them. :o) And hey, the ice has melted on the pool water. Mind you, I'm not anywhere near ready to even think about going out there to take a quick dip... I may live in Canada but I don't go in for that Polar Dipping that some do! LOL

The air still has quite a nip to it. So although there are signs of spring around, I'm not holding my breath that it's completely over yet. It's over when it's over, and I've seen it snow in April... and yes, even a little bit in May although it melted almost immediately on impact. I take what I can get when it comes to the weather... everything has a reason! ;o)

Gem

Your time will come for telling stories of spring sightings, Norma! ;o)

Gem

Me too, Aud, me too! :o)

Is that a picture of pussywillows gone to seed? We used to have a pussywillow bush in our back yard at my parents' home.

Gemini

LOL Yeah, you have to watch out for Katherine! ;o)

Your spring blooms sound beautiful!

Gemini

Ooops, see I knew there was something else I wanted to say. Yes, have a great trip! :o)

Gemini

LOL Too funny! I like that I am portrayed as a little kid (sounds about right... in mind anyway) and Katherine is *ahem* shall we say... a wee bit older. LOL *ducking*

Gemini

Yes!! See, I knew that! I'm just more used to seeing pictures of them before they have gone to seed. :o)

Gemini

I figure it indicates our maturity levels.

Higs, Katherine

Our back yard is full of them, so I know what they look like all the time. One year, when I was teaching little kids, we were getting ready for a concert, and I asked one class if they could bring in some pussywillows to help decorate the stage. They were quite enthusiastic, and showed up the next with armloads of the things. One little girl, however, had taken me a bit too literally, and had a bag full of the pussy willows - the furry little buds. I managed not to laugh, and we figured out a way to use hers as well as the branches.

Higs, Katherine

Oi!

Higs, Katherine

Aww, that's so cute! Don't you just love how kids take things so literally? ;o)

Gemini

LOL Me too! I've said MANY times that I refuse to grow up! ;o)

Gemini

Hi Aud,

I'm just reading this now, and I got a good chuckle out of your pictures of Gemini and Katherine. Thanks for the giggle.

Hugs,

Nora

I do!

Higs, Katherine

Higs, Katherine