Rain Delay

Our plans to take down the maple tree were deferred on Saturday thanks to a rainstorm the day before. Working on a wet tree is probably a bit hazardous and our friend called to cancel and reschedule for later this week. Looks like we may be rescheduling again if the forecast turns out to be accurate. We'll see.

Not much else to report. New life continues to abound. Our bird feeders are visited by a cardinal and his mate, numerous goldfinches, chickadees, and tufted titmice, a pair of downy woodpeckers, a hairy woodpecker, several juncos, mourning doves, a few timid bluejays and one lone fox sparrow. The chickadees are quite bold, even saucy, and I am convinced that we will have them eating out of our hands before long. Robins abound as they bounce and bob cheerily about the yard in search of earthworms. The crows wake us on occasion with their raucous cries, so jarring in the early morning light. I much prefer the sweet "phoeeebe phoeeebe" of the chickadee as my alarm clock.

Our lilac bushes are crowded with fat green buds, the forsythia is celebrating the return of the sun in its raiment of yellow splendor, and I am at a loss to name all the shoots of green and red I see popping up everywhere I look. Irises for certain, and maybe daffodils, but several unknown to me. It's a wait and see kind of spring!

We had a little visitor in the garden today, curled up in the dry grass catching some sun after his long hibernation.

He - or perhaps she - appeared to be not at all shy. Perhaps he was still a little dull and groggy from his long nap! It seemed as though he were studying us with curiousity in his calm gaze as Anna-Rose stroked his back gently, and when I slipped a hand under his neck and lifted him, he displayed no resistance. His skin was so soft, cool and smooth underneath. After a while Anna could no longer contain her exuberance at this new discovery, and he slithered off quickly, but gracefully, to his hideaway underneath the propane tank. I'm sure we'll find him sunning himself again another day.

We came upon another discovery today while shopping and the Terrorist Baby now has her own set of gardening tools. She is a bit excited to say the least and I'm certain that she probably has tilled at least a square acre of the yard in record time while I sit here at my desk. Better check on her progress!