Olly Olly Oxen Free!

Spring has been playing serious game of hide-and-seek with us this year. It's nearly the end of April and things are still looking rather bleak outdoors.

So, today I headed outdoors, with my camera in hand, to see if I could find where spring is hiding.

I stopped at the park and found a giant worm.

The lawns are greening up, and this tree is trying to leaf out. 

Here's a bud up close. 

I found a few flowers along the path,

and some green grass here, too. 

I think a shorn sheep is a good sign of coming spring.

And also freshly tilled land.

There are lots of ducks on the pond. I couldn't really tell, but I think that cluster of ducks in the middle of the picture is a bunch of babies.

Here is a closer look. They were pretty small. 

Blue sky and birches. Just waiting to bud out.

 An empty nest waiting for eggs and baby birdies.

The cormorants are back on the lake. They always leave before winter and return for the summer, so yay!

This tree is on the brink. Notice the greenish-yellow color?

This might just look like a picture of clouds and sky, but if you look closely there are some black splotches which are actually some giant mosquitoes that were flying around. 

Nothing says spring more than a kite stuck in a tree.

And I found a few flowers, too. Does anyone know what theses red ones are?

Grape hyacinths were popping up all around. I love them.

So were dandelions. See the bee?

And these little blue things, too. I think they're a weed, but I've always liked them. I used to pick tiny bouquets of them for my mom.

I think I won this game of hide-and-seek, but we'll see who comes out ahead tomorrow as the weather forecasters are calling for snow again. 

Duck, Duck, GOOSE!

I went on a nature walk the other day and saw lots of ducks and geese. Here are some pictures.





I thought these two were beautiful. The picture doesn't really show it, but the male's colors are so vibrant.



This one was hanging out all by herself. I'm not really sure what is going on with the feathers on her head, but I think she's cute.



Even though they are noisy and messy, I love the Canada Geese.



I love mallards, too.





These two got a little too close for my comfort.



Notice the crumbs on their mouths. I was feeding them some bread and they really gobbled it up.



This duck has escaped from somewhere. He doesn't seem to notice or care that he looks nothing like the others.

Welcome, Spring!

Autumn arrives in early morning, but spring at the close of a winter day.
~Elizabeth Bowen

I don't know who Elizabeth Bowen is or was, but she certainly has the right perspective on spring. This was the view from my windows yesterday, the day before the official arrival of spring.





Luckily, I was able to stay in out of that snowy mess. Now I'm keeping my fingers crossed that that was the last snow of the season. Today the sun is shining and everything is melting. Spring is making her presence known!

I'm Ready For Spring!

All signs point to Spring's imminent arrival: the days are getting longer, robins are hopping about, tulips are coming up, jelly beans are in abundance at the grocery store, and things are starting to get green. But most of all, I'm getting really impatient.

Over the past few years, I have developed an extreme dislike for Winter. I get tired of always being cold, scraping ice off my windshield, driving in snow...you know, all those non-fun wintry things.

Last week the weather was beautiful. I spent lots of time outside taking long walks and soaking up the sunshine. It was glorious. Today it is bleak. The sky is grey, there is a cold breeze, and I would like nothing more than to snuggle up under a blanket and take a nap.

So Spring, I know you're lurking about on the fringes and even though the calendar says your arrival is still a couple of weeks away, no one will care if you come and stay a little early. I will embrace you with open arms, and everyone knows I'm stingy with my hugs, so it's a really big deal. Come quickly!