Spring Forward: Music to my Ears

As Susan Gets Native said this week, if you have dial-up, go make a sandwich. Loads of photos follow from this photo-happy person in NC.

6:45 a.m. The sound of songbirds, almost frightening. Whirling grey/white splashes – the mockers are competing for mates. Suet is being consumed feverishly. Wrens visit my deck. Pairs of house finches are investigating nests in the hanging baskets on my front porch. Goldfinches are getting brighter every day and seem to be frantic at the thistle feeder. Red Wing Blackbirds arrived, only one or two today, but it’s a welcome sight for me to see them again since I haven’t seen them visit since the summer of 2005 when I lived in Delaware. I heard Chickadees chattering. Lots of them. I realize I have talked about them incessantly in recent posts, but this is a little bird with a recognizable language that haunts me. A Carolina Chickadee will land and perch on my feeders, four feet away from my face, and, in an instant it flees, realizing there is a silly blonde lady smiling at it with a camera on her face. Are they on auto-pilot in search of food? Recently, I have started to notice that the birds don’t flee as quickly when they see me. That’s a good thing because I’ll be around them quite often for the next two seasons. We need to have a trusting relationship.

Tomorrow, the sun will set an hour later and I am so giddy about it! More daylight for walks and playing! It was warm and sunny today and I shed my jacket after I ran some errands in the morning. As you will see, it was a day I put cleaning the house on hold to enjoy outdoors. There is always tomorrow to tend to inside work, although I did manage several loads of laundry today. I'll pay for my frivolity tomorrow.

Cell phone rang: “Mom, can Mr. Biggins come over for a few hours? I have a surprise for you.” Honestly, I wasn’t in the mood for a surprise or a “three dog” house today but I reluctantly replied, “OK”.

An hour later, Sarah walked through the door with Gina, Billy, and Mr. Biggins. I was thrilled to see her again! Sarah was a roommate of Gina’s a few years ago when they lived in a small house in Wilmington. Sarah makes you smile. Born and raised in Valdese, a community located in the shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, her heavy southern accent makes me giggle, her wide smile is contagious, and I love her. She’s a tall young woman with legs that start at my armpits. She and Gina rented the smallest bedrooms I’ve ever seen but they shared ideas on organization and made it work. Sarah is working and living in Raleigh now and I hope she visits us often.

Here’s an opportunity to smile… Dogs give relief to over-burdened souls.


While they went off to enjoy their afternoon for a few hours including lunch and a pedicure, I kept the dogs close to me and examined some work I need to do…

It took a bit of hunting around in the garage, but I found my necessary tools. The mosquitoes will need to be repelled as I’m allergic to their bites. During warm months, I smell like “Off” instead of my lovely Lancome Hypnose.

Work to do…

Pond Canna sprouting!

Hungry! I shopped for pond plants today but it’s too early to buy them. I’ll wait a few weeks and look again.

Our new camellia japonicas are bursting with color!

Lowe’s Home Store had ferns on sale today. I bought one to hide the skimmer/pump assembly on the pond.

I’ve been neglecting the ground feeders for a long time. The brave little sparrows deserve some recognition.

Chloe loves to scratch her back on a pine cone after she rips it apart.

While Gina, Mr. Biggins and Sara were getting ready to leave, I said, “Stop! A hawk!” I saw it swoop by and Sarah saw it perch. (Click to enlarge photos)

“Oooo…a blow-dry feels soooo good.” This hawk left without a meal, but there's always tomorrow...

They didn’t know Gina was blowing bubbles…


If there is one message I'd like to share with you today, it would be:

Free yourself now and then,
Throw caution to the wind,
Live for the moment,

Go for the gusto, and

Bite the bubble!