Spring

The first sparrow of spring! The year beginning with younger hope than ever! The faint silvery warblings heard over the partially bare and moist fields from the bluebird, the song sparrow, and the red-wing, as if the last flakes of winter tinkled as they fell!~~Henry David Thoreau

Three quarters of a year we have lived the life of Walden with Wife and Kids. We have fallen into a rhythm of chores where they are no longer difficult. We have weathered the harshest weather without damage. We have enjoyed the leisure that bad weather provides maybe a little too much. The inside of the house is not yet finished, and I did expect it to be. I guess it is just a little later than expected like the heralds of spring this year. The crocuses are barely blooming and the geese are just beginning to nest. They are an enjoyable part of the commute, watching them nest and raise their goslings. March is the bird month. Every evening this month, around 9-10 pm, a little later as it gets lighter, we have a chorus of owls. We have at least a few different owls, some small and some large. On one of our walks through the hillside we explored a ravine that seems unusual in the landscape and scared up a parliament (a few dozen) of owls burrowed in the earthen banks of the ravine. It was something unexpected and delightful. This month we have also had the addition of a number of Red Tailed hawks to our yearly companion of the Swainson's hawk. They are busy catching the emerging mice. Our cat, who I feared too pampered to be useful, has also started catching mice. She somehow ingrained herself into the hearts of the household and ended up with the softest warmest seat all winter. I had to be the mean one to put her out each day. Now, luckily, she prefers to spend her time out of doors. She will mew at the window by the door when she wants to go out. And proudly hunts and frolics. Though the first day of spring brought us drizzly snow, I see the signs that sun and green are right around the corner.