Everyone loves spring. Even me. I've harped about how much I love winter, but I think spring has won me over--again. As I've also mentioned, it's good that I have planted so many bulbs around, because I think it helps ease the transition (as do the periodic freezing storms coming through about once a week). Currently, the dutch iris are my patio stars. There will be other kinds popping up soon (Pacific Coast, Siberian, and a bearded or two), but these little beauties stop me in my tracks every day. Here's just one.
And the trees! The western redbuds (native to this area) are just fading. Here's one near our mailboxes from two weeks ago. I planted one last year, anxious to bring that same delicious raspberry-sherbet color into our yard each year.
This (following photo) is ours. (sigh) Next year, maybe.Right now, this very minute, the dogwoods are in spectacular bloom everywhere.
I can hardly believe I'm not driving around out there right now from tree to tree just to gape. I took this picture a week ago near downtown Grass Valley, but they and their white kin are everywhere. And this (next photo) is ours. The cage isn't keeping it in, FYI, it's keeping the munchy little deer out. I just know next year it will be awesome...
We get out more when the weather warms up, especially at night. Last weekend, we went to see "Into the Woods" by Sondheim at a theater in GV. SO much fun! Clever, fast-moving (almost frantic, sometimes), poignant, joyful--plan to see it somewhere, if you haven't yet had the opportunity!
Of course, I'm also working outdoors more of the time. A week ago, I realized I had been bitten by a deer tick. No big deal. I'm looking at the place on my arm where it's little grabby jaws are still embedded. But everyone else is watching me like a hawk, looking for the first signs of Lyme disease. (sigh, again) No worries...
Finally, speaking of hawks, there is a permanent red-tail hawks' nest near the top of a Ponderosa pine tree down the hill that we watch every year since we moved in (which is three years ago last April 11). It's difficult to see with the naked eye, but with binocs, we've watched parents raise one or two chicks, taking turns with hunting and nest duty. Except last year. Last year (the third time we'd been spying in on their little drama), the adults took turns sitting for about a month before abandoning the whole affair one day. Something didn't go as planned, apparently.
This year, however, in the month or so that I've been watching, they've sat on and hatched two eggs. We see the nest almost straight on, so we can't tell how many there are until we see their little white heads bobbing around above the edge. Last week, we spotted them through the binoculars. Oh, so cute and funny. Wobbly little heads looking like fuzzy golf balls, two round black bbs for eyes.
When Dylan was here this last weekend, he couldn't see much and asked about using the telescope. I replied that I'd tried it once and didn't have any success. So, yesterday, I thought I'd try again. OMG! I guess I hadn't focused correctly the first time, or had the wrong lens in, or something lame, but now, we can easily watch the mom/dad tearing up some unfortunate small lizard into smaller, bite-sized pieces to feed her two beautiful downy white babies. We keep the scope out on the deck and walk by about a hundred times a day, now, to check on the little family. So clear! Just now, a parent was standing on the edge whilst one little guy tried flapping its little nubby wings. We'll try to figure out how to photograph the scene. I'm sure there's a way. It's a highlight of the season.
Ah, spring.
