Spring is in the air!!

I wanted to start this post talking about how much I dislike winter. The cold. The dreariness. The gray skies. The cold. The naked trees. And, yes, the cold. And then I thought about how going without something often brings us to a point of longing for that which we love. Then I also considered how colder winters have a tendency to reduce the number of summertime mosquitos and other pests. So, I guess, in the long run, maybe having winter is beneficial.

BUT . . .

I still can't wait until it's over. Every year I eagerly await the first signs of life. The buds on the trees. A bee buzzing by, warming up from the cold winter. Forsythia buds. And, my personal favorite litmus test for new spring life -- the buttercup. I purposely have buttercups in my flower beds so I can have a daily check of new growth. (They are normally the very first signs of springtime that I see.)

And, of course, what is springtime without nest building, courtship, and little ducklings? My mom's duck, Hoppy, is spending a month or so here with Puddle to hopefully make that happen. Puddle has never seen another duck. I honestly believe she thinks that we are her flock. We brought Hoppy to meet our Puddle today. If she had a jaw I think it would have dropped when magnificent Hoppy stumbled out of his box. For a split second she was a little wary. Then she proceeded to march toward him and follow him around the yard and he checked out his new place.

Feeling a little insecure about his new surroundings, he quickly found some safety in a coop that we no longer use. (He's used to being in one at his home.) Puddle would go in to stay for a bit and then back out to get a drink from the turtle sandbox turned duck pond.

We are excited about the signs of new life around our yard and the possibility of new ducklings. I took a few pics of early springI hope you enjoy them!








First cherry blossom