Countdown to Springtime 2008

Hamburger--

Of course, you do liquid refreshment, too!

Hide robins, hide. Two to four of the white stuff today.

and just when...

It was snowing when I took the dogs out for a wander about 10 p.m. last night.

Very spring-like

Went to bed with a winter-storm advisory of 7-9" in the forecast. The storm-track shifted slightly north overnight... now they're saying 9-12". p-dog may be in the 12-20" swath.

You poor people.

I am on Spring Break, traveling through Texas. I'm in the DFW area today, where a high of 76 is forecast. Trees are leafing out, the sky is blue, and it's gorgeous. Hope I can take this back to Tulsa with me when we head for home tomorrow.

Even though they are calling for snow here too, over the next 18 hours or so......ya know it's Spring here when the Kingfishers start hanging out around the pond. (which is completely unfrozen now) Just saw some this morning.



It's not uncommon to sit out on my deck and watch a blue heron swoop down onto the pond for it's prey. Haven't seen one yet this year. Sometimes during the summer, you'll catch em' just standing around the edge of the pond. They're purdy......but I chase em' off if they frequent too much!



I did a restock of fish last fall and will do it again in April/May. Hoping to get it back in shape soon. (after the flood waters in August swallowed it up)

I love Spring/Summer! Nature in all it's glory and the sun warming my face. It really doesn't get much better!

Eva.......Good for you! You deserve it, sweetie. If you bring it back to Tulsa with you.....how about "swooshing" some of it my direction?

PS- None of the above pictures are my own. I found them on line but they are exactly as the birds look.

I wouldn't trade this winter in for anything.

ontario has ben "promised" another six weeks of winter - spring has been postponed !
it's very bright and sunny but still well below freezing right now .
we'll probably go for a short drive this afternoon to look at the frozen expanse of eastern lake ontario - might even take some more pictures .
hbg

Friends of mine are celebrating this Norouz this weekend





As part of a concert Set and I went to a couple of week's ago, we were offered a serving of Noah's pudding - part of the local Muslim community's sharing tradition.

This was part of the event. link

and it was all part of



Doors Open Toronto 2008: Sacred Spaces, Sacred Circles

Alex--

You might throw out a few raisins for your snowbagged robins.

Dys--

Finches are greedy birds.

Jonsey--

I saw the cherry blossoms once as a child and was very impressed. Do you remember a few years ago when an ambitious beaver was using the cherry trees as raw material for his construction projects?

JPB--

My condolences. We're just promised snow showers.

Eva--

Gloating does not become a Goddess.

Brooke--

I'm glad to hear your pond is recovering. We need all the oases we can find.

Hamburger--

Go, Shutterbug! Go!

EhBeth--

I'm glad to have specific documentation of Moderate Muslims--and I love the idea of Noah's Pudding.

21°C/69°F today - after some days with snow now even the rhododendrons start blossoming.

Walter--

I'm still proud of my snowdrops and crocus.

went down to lake ontario around noon - still quite an ice cover , but the ice is starting "to groan" and pressure ridges are beginning to show - a sure sign that the break-up of the ice can't be far away

soil in the garden is still hard as rock but some daffodils and poppies have managed to show their heaads along the south-wall of the house - in a couple of weeks we should see some colour in the garden - but i also don't think that we have seen the last of the snow yet .

canada geese are flying overhead - direction : NORTH !
hbg

We have crocuses too! And my sister said she heard a chickadee's summer song.

I went on a little urban hike to Mt Auburn. I saw turtles sunning on branches. Witch hazel is ablaze and cornelian cherries (actually dogwoods) are about to pop out with their own yellow flowers. A very small blue heron was fishing (some stay most of the winter) and a lone duck was hanging to a mating pair of canadian geese. Nearby to this trio was a whole mass of feathers and a small pile of entrails which may be what is left of the duck's mate.

Outside my window two crows are snapping branchlets off the Norway Maples to bring home for nesting material (they are quite clever).

And, as I said on another thread - the turkey vultures are back!

My mailbox is full of Freecycle offers and requests.

The male robin has been joined by a female. He was plucking a little grass for nesting. She's adament that she wants the twigs and mud installed first.

The chipmunks are out of hibernation and have carried away at least 45 pounds of deer corn.

Bulbs are poking up shoots everywhere, but no blooms yet. Getting closer.

Still miserable weather -- cold, gray.

some robins just appeared and started pulling something out from under the hdge - could it be worms already ?

last few days we've had brilliant sunshine - but it was still well below freezing overnight - MINUS 10 c last night - O c tonight - rain starting tomorrow - courtesy of soz , no doubt - iit should melt the snow and help the bulbs along .

yesterday along lake ontario : pressure ridges showing - the ice is "groaning and moaning" - a sure sign that breakup is coming .
hbg

Feeling like it was far past time to attend to the winter mess in my Magnolia bed, I braved the 41º temperature and spent a half hour outside. Wow, it's bitter!

leaving in a mo to search for some cockscombs for the garden, smoke tree is budding out, clematis is reaching for the sky, butterfly bush is budding, day lilies are sprouting, phlox are blooming, ice plants are spreading, tomatoes are being planted, herbs are in their pots.

even though there is still some snow and ice in the garden , we are heading into the brilliant sunshine for a first SPRING CLEAN-UP - we are brave souls :wink: .
hbg