Spring Portents...

Snow may linger in the corners
Of a sheltered nook;
Ice may fringe the shaded places
On the banks of pond and brook.

Cold my be the wind that's blowing,
Pale the sunshine, gray the sky,
But winter-weary mankind's certain
Spring is drawing very nigh.

For someone saw a willow branch
Trimmed with furry gray;
Someone saw green sprouts thrust upward
Where snow lay yesterday.

Someone saw a robin redbreast,
Someone heard him sing...
Welcome signs and certain portents
When winter turns to spring.
(Virginia Moore)
Spring is here! We still have some snow and the ice on the pond is deep enough to walk on, but the robin's are back! I saw my first one yesterday though it was too gray and drizzly out to photograph but today their bright orange breasts were easy to spot in the sunshine. Happy Spring!

a time to start anew...

Every sunrise is a present, a gift from God above,
Gift-wrapped with scarlet ribbons and tied with bows of love.

Each day's a new beginning, a time to start anew,
While all the stars are sleeping, and the rose is fresh with dew.

Every day's a new creation, too lovely to ignore,
And may we find a blessing, just outside our door.

We cannot keep the past, like fireflies in a jar
Nor journey to the future by wishing on a star.

Every sunrise is a blessing, a gift for just today.
Rejoice, my friend, embrace it before it fades away!
(author unknown)

We had a really beautiful sunrise today - a fitting end to the last day of winter. I wish you a spring full of new beginnings and wonderful blessings.

wearin' o' the green...

Today is the day fer the wearin' o' the green.
Today is the day when the little people are seen.
Today is St. Patrick's Day, so if ye'r Irish me lad,
Join the celebratin' fer the grandest time ta' be had.






He's Italian not Irish but today's his day. It is my soon to be son-in-law's birthday and I'm sure there is some wearing of the green as well as drinking of a little green (beer) too! Happy Birthday Scott - tried to get you some birds on the shamrock flag but they did not cooperate.

Pleasant things...

I try to fill my life
with pleasant things:
With the peace that simple
daily living brings,
With love of nature
in each passing phase
From spring's shy dawn
to winter's icy days.
(Margaret Aeberhard)
Even though I know that winter weather is probably still here for a few weeks it is so wonderful to see the first signs of spring. Honking geese are flying north at sunrise and I found the first buds poking through the ground (though I really had to search for some).
Most of the garden is still snow covered and I hope this guy sticks to fallen birdseed and doesn't find my first tulip shoots!

Let's talk turkeys...

Let's talk turkey!
What a walk it's got!
Strut about, strut about,
Do the turkey trot!

Let's talk turkey,
What a shaky wobble!
Strut about, strut about,
Gobble, gobble, gobble!
(Meish Goldish)
















We saw about 2 dozen wild turkeys on our roadtrip looking for pheasants on Friday afternoon. They have a unique beauty with the greenish tint to their backs and red coloration on their neck and heads.















While watching a flock of turkeys in a field of corn stubble a young racoon walked by and stopped for a bite of leftover corn.Spring is almost here! We saw our first northern flicker that afternoon so the robins can't be far behind.

Pheasants in the snow...

"Poetry is a pheasant disappearing in the brush"
(Wallace Stevens)







Our snow is disappearing very quickly with the warmer temperatures we have had the last few days. The pheasants that we have been seeing for the last week or so are leaving the roadsides and going back out to the fields so Jeff & I went for a ride late this afternoon so I could photograph some before the snow was all gone. Sorry for the quality as these skittish birds don't like to stand still for a photo :-)

Icicles...

I see icy icicles
Hanging off the trees.
I see icy icicles
Forming in the freeze!
Here, oh here's the way
That an icicle will form:
A stream of water drips
While the air is still warm.
When the air turns colder
And water starts to freeze,
It forms a stick of ice
That hangs from the trees!
I see icy icicles!
(Meish Goldish)

As I was checking out the sunset from the warmth of my house (that is why it is viewed through the trees), I was pleasantly surprised to see the rainbow effects the sunset was giving the many icicles hanging from the eaves of the house. I ran to grab the camera and wasn't able to capture the brillance my naked eye saw but it still made a unique photo anyways.

















With all the snow that is around we are seeing many pheasants. I'm sure they have been here the whole while but were hidden in the brown grass. I'm going to have to start carrying the camera in the car because we saw about 50 along the roadsides traveling to town today. Hopefully I will have some good shots to share soon.

Today's the day...

Today's the day
We get to say
We're happy you were born-
Hooray!

Happy Birthday Tammie!



Today is my youngest sister's birthday. She was always the "cute little blonde one" in the family of brunettes. The baby sister. Now she's a wife, mother of five, college professor and a great friend. I wish her a wonderful day and another happy and healthy year ahead. May your nest always be feathered.

In like a lion...

The March wind roars
Like a lion in the sky,
And makes us shiver
As he passes by.

When winds are soft,
And the days are warm and clear,
Just like a gentle lamb,
Then spring is here.
(Author Unknown)


March is here and is being ushered in like a lion so hopefully the old saying is right and she goes out like a lamb. After our winter of no snow we are being hit with snowstorms twice in one week. The snow is as deep as the garden lanterns and up to 15-20 more inches are predicted in the next 2 days along with high winds. The gardens are a flurry of bird activity as they feed and stock up for the storm ahead.