Sunday, March 8, 2009

Spring Is In The Air

The skies spit snow earlier this week, but there’s nothing but sunshine in the forecast now, and spring is springing.

I saw the first flowers last week - dandelions waving in the wind. I don’t recall seeing those bloom so early in the past, but there they were, as cheery as could be.

Monday a hummingbird checked out the bird feeder. This worried me a bit, as our nighttime temperatures are still well below freezing, and there’s nothing blooming that hummers can feed on. It’s much too early for them to be this far north. I made syrup and hung out the hummingbird feeder in case it returned, but I’ve not seen it again. I fear that the little thing either starved or froze. The syrup in the feeder has been frozen every morning.

Tuesday, a sunny yellow crocus poked its little head through the mulch. The subsequent snowfall didn’t keep it from being bright and perky.

Many of the winter birds are still coming to our feeders, but the spring and summer birds are making an appearance also. We’ve seen three goldfinches and a pair of Western bluebirds, two of our favorite species. There’s been several robins as well.

If this year is like past years, we’ll still have snowfall, but for now, we’re enjoying flowers blooming, birds signing, and sun shining.

2 comments:

Outte Law said...

Hi Cass,
I'm often amazed at how fast certain areas arrive to Spring and yours is no exception. I see snapshots of New York City after a snowstorm, then the next day that same ground that was covered beneath a foot of snow is down to asphalt and cement.
I wish that were the case around here. Snow lingers sometimes to May. Gee hosifer. So there definitely aren't any plants sprouting, yet. I'll keep a lookout for hummingbirds, though.
Ta,
Bliss

Cassandra said...

Hi Bliss,

I've lived before where it snows, and the snow stays on the ground from the first snowfall until late spring/early summer.

It's different here, and new to me. It snows, then the sun shines and melts most of it, then it snows again, then more sunshine.

We still have snow piled up where the snowplows pushed it, and in areas that are in full shade all day long, but most of the rest of it is gone.

I don't mind :-)

Lots of little green leaves poking up. Haven't seen the hummer since last week :-(

Cassandra