“I’m ready for the rest of this week! I have my umbrella, my flip-flops, my mittens, my suntan lotion, my winter coat, my sunglasses… So basically we’re now ready for pretty much any kind of weather!” That is March for you! Two snow storms, freezing rain, glorious sun and warmth and the trouble with those “Warm, it’s almost Spring days” is that apparently they wipe your memory clean about Winter! Ha! Then it comes back, much to your horror! If you don’t like novelettes about birds, squirrels or cats I suggest you close your browser and move onto something else! Ha! It is the first day of Spring, but let’s go back to a week ago, it was summer, cats lazed in the sun, a warm breeze blew…it was heavenly!
Spring of Deception was in full swing, then it terminated…first rain, then ice…weather warnings…sigh…
We walked out the road to check the hill for erosion and to see if the culvert was draining, it was, once fooled, you keep an eye on these things. A few sink holes to be filled, once it STOPS snowing! ARGHHH! A girl does what she has to, to stay amused, not mental;) The birds didn’t look impressed. I sat in the alcove out of the freezing rain watching them.
The next few days it wasn’t much better, wet…melting, maybe a bit of hope!
The Goldfinches were chirping, the woodpeckers and chickadees looked suspicious! Ha! A pair of Evening Grosbeaks even showed up! Then I got worried…why are they are still here!?
The arrival of the Red Winged Blackbirds singing wildly was a delight! The snow birds are coming back, piss off said the Red Bellied Woodpeckers, we withstood the never-ending Winter! Our feeder!
They will all learn to kowtow to the Red bellies! The the Grackles arrived, I knew they wouldn’t be far behind! I know they can be obnoxious but those colours are a sight for sore eyes this time of year!
As the ground reappeared the squirrels started coming out. Gamora said she’d keep them at bay;)
Or not;) The sound of Spring was in every chirp and squawk and tribble!
Then the flakes started once again….
The cruelty of it all! We could see the road, the ground, then this!!
I-Yi-YI-YI-YI!!! But when Nature gives you snow flakes, you roll with it! Those were some SERIOUS snowflakes!
None of these guys looked impressed with the weather;) Mourning doves…in mourning for the long lost Spring!
Then it melted away, almost as quickly as it came…the sound of the stream running down beside hill could be heard from the house! The magic sound of running water:)
Then the weather warnings started all over…again…15-20 cm of snow…WHHAAATTTTT????
I didn’t cry, I wanted to. Ha!
♫♪♫ Here comes the snow again, falling on my head like a memory…falling on my head like a new emotion…I want to walk in the open wind…I want to talk like lovers do, want to dive into your ocean,
is it snowing with you? ♪♫♪
Many thanks to the Long Lake Bird choir! 😉
“If I keep digging at it will it go away?” Rocket seemed to ask…
So, you make the best of it, photograph birds, more birds, an occasional cat before they run back inside, or the ones that get to the door and say, “Uh, oh, nope, not today!” Sometimes Rocket will go tearing out full speed gets 50 feet out and then realizes, the wind is howling, it’s snowing, crapola!…and he runs back in. March…
One overcast morning I spotted a large shape fly by, popped out and and the adult Bald Eagle had flown over, but then doubled back. I started humming ♫♪♫ I want to fly like an eagle….♪♫♪ how could you not!
Then came the warmth again rain, drizzle, it was all going…AGAIN! Woohoo! Our warmest day yet 17.6° ABOVE zero! Un milagro!
I had reflections back, almost…I didn’t mind standing in the light rain and watching it fall. The canoe had appeared from under the snow! Spring!…Wait….
Snow, more snow, more weather warnings. We’d already put off going to the barn Sunday because of snow/freezing rain warnings but this…fluffy white snow that would have made me smile and cheer in December, now only brings out the Grinch in me;) I will not shovel again! I swear, but then well, snow. It was about 15cm or 6″ of the white fluffy stuff, but the wind that accompanied it was blizzard like.
We went form blizzard, to sun, to blizzard to sun…I walked down to the canoe as it was protected from the wind to watch it blow across the lake with every gust. The last 6″ we got I had messaged the plow people but they said the road was too soft and they would damage it, and their equipment, in other words, you’re on your own. Mike got the snowblower out and started clearing, first our small hill, then the big hill, ran out of gas, filled up and off he went down the road making a 24″ tire track out, and then after the last big hill, turned around and made a tire track in…He looked like the Abominable Snowman by the time he got back., I usually screw that up and say abdominable snowman, he HAS been working out alot! Great abs! Ha! Groot was pacing in the window…where did he go? Why isn’t he back? He’s the worrier. WE made it out, trusty little Alfa:)
…and then it started to melt…again, sort of…That was Tuesday…here we are, Friday, more snow…I told Gamora to not look out the window. NOT going out Müther! OK, no problem. I started thinking of new projects for the Spring as the snow fell around me. More pebbles maybe, we’ll see. They did survive the freeze and thaw fairly well. I had to patch a bit of mortar here and there. Will coat them with waterproofing Spring and Fall this year for extra protection! It was a good day to dream, plan, think about anything but snow!
…and today, it’s Spring, well, the Spring Equinox anyway, at 10:46 am this morning. So what does that mean? Essentially, our hours of daylight, the period of time each day between sunrise and sunset, have been growing slightly longer each day since the winter solstice in December, which is the shortest day of the year (at least in terms of light). The vernal equinox marks the turning point when daylight begins to win out over darkness…YEAH! I did enjoy the sun, sitting there, watching, so did the birds!
I didn’t dare tell them about todays forecast! Ha! Why spoil a nice day!
The Woodpeckers were not amused…the LBB’s even less…
“Just another snowstorm kids! Hang in there!” said the wise Nuthatch. The snowbirds, looked very very sad…”The brochure said it was Spring!” said the Red Winged Blackbird…”I’m going to ask for a refund!”
“Snow was not advertised at all! We’ve been had!” “Yeah, that’s what you snowbirds get for not checking the forecast!” said the Blue Jay…”Suck it up!” they are harsh! Even the Red Squirrel looked slightly perturbed…
What was he thinking coming out of hibernation? It just keeps falling, no songs, on my head…it’s not raindrops;) So long term, more snow Sunday, more snow Thursday…no 17.6° days in the forecast, at all, for awhile…Gloria Gaynor said it best…Soon we will be saying goodbye to snow, it can walk out that door, we don’t need it anymore…WE, I will Survive! Hang in their kids…Hope you enjoyed a jillion million bird photos:)
Today I am thankful for friends and conversations, many good meals and milestones. Keeping politics to a minimum and laughs to a maximum. Fish for cats, carrots for horses, hey, it’s Spring, whether it feels like it or not, that sun is getting brighter and warmer and it will ALL be melted soon! I hope! Ha! If not keep Fridays for lunch on your schedule at Picnic Cafe in Perth Chef Pablo from the Luna’s MexCan Tacos served up Shrimp tacos for lunch today! Out of this world tasty and a lovely spot! It was a culinary ray of sunshine on a dreary snowy day! There is HOPE! Saludos amigos!
