Spring is fer sure in the atmosphere. Many for me are the signs. All are best signs.
1-Tulips.
My Dad had done odd jobs for a number of people in Beverly over the years like cutting grass, painting, roofing, repairing things, etc… When my Dad got too old suddenly to continue, he tried to pass on the grass cutting business to me. I did it for a summer, ten lawns a week (big Beverly lawns, like a suburb lawns) for $10 apiece. While my Dad took his time and spread the lawns over a few days, I blitz’d in and did them in 4.5h. Stupidly, I didn’t take the lawns over for good. I could still be doing them to this day.
Wait, wait----tulips……….
One of the people we cut lawns for died of old age. They sold the house and cast lots for his stuff. I got some hand me downs from him, and My Dad dug up the tulips from his backyard (Dad had been the one to plant them in the first place). He planted them in front of my house in the fall, and he died that winter. The next spring the forgotten tulips sprouted, and we all got a welcome reminder of him, as well as the feeling of life going on.
Tulips subsequently(sp) replaced roses (Dad grew them as well) as my favourite flower. The area where dads tulips grew has been augmented over the years by maybe 150 more, and we always have a nice--yes, brief--tulip display every spring. Anyway, they have been out a week and are growing dense and strong. I got maybe 35-40 almost free in the fall, so the bed of flowers should be especially good this spring.
2-Birds.
Song is in the air, most notably by the robins screaming their heads off early in the morning. I came back late Friday nite, and it was the total concert on the block. Very very loud singing, in each tree, by a robin. If you are ‘up this late these I guess few weeks’ until mates and territories are settled, you can’t escape the racket.
Quick, while we’re on birds, I saw a whole new bird today- the brown creeper.
I was hanging outside with the kids on Sunday. Neice’s # 4 & 5 were over and outside riding on those ‘skateboards with steering colums’ when I spotted movement in the silver maple next door. I only saw it for 15 seconds, but was able to figure it out quick. I ran to get the Peterson’s guide and looked under nuthatch because of the birds behaviour- it crawled up the tree. It wasn’t the nuthatch, but the creeper was on the same page. It looked like it, the size of it, and its circular style of climbing the tree. Then I heard it sing, and it matched what the book said it sounded like. All of that took, maybe, three minutes. I was real proud of myself.
Quick, while we’re on bird songs, I heard another strange song in the air. Since its migration season, I hear a lot of stuff that’s unfamiliar. This time, I was able to spot the strange singer- it was the very familiar Dark Eyed Junco. Listen to the call here.
Quick, while we’re on familiar birds, we’ve been getting the regular downy woodpecker return. Only one or two, as far as I can tell and judging by the volume. They’re very cool looking birds, and I’m glad we get them.
Mike Quick. Another mass flyover from the geese. Again spotted them for gf, and she heard them when they crossed her position. Neat.
Hey , what happened to the deal with spring???????
3-Boys and Girls.
This really is the defining marker for spring= when they kids pair up. What ever the science is, released phremones and chemicals in the membrane what have you, it’s a rel trip to suddenly see the whole school air up overnite. There’s always couples, both ephemeral and “we’ve been to-gether since 9th” types. Suddenly, a lot of kissing in the middle of the halls and tonnes of hand holding from couples you would never have dreamed of. it’s a fun time.
1-Tulips.
My Dad had done odd jobs for a number of people in Beverly over the years like cutting grass, painting, roofing, repairing things, etc… When my Dad got too old suddenly to continue, he tried to pass on the grass cutting business to me. I did it for a summer, ten lawns a week (big Beverly lawns, like a suburb lawns) for $10 apiece. While my Dad took his time and spread the lawns over a few days, I blitz’d in and did them in 4.5h. Stupidly, I didn’t take the lawns over for good. I could still be doing them to this day.Wait, wait----tulips……….
One of the people we cut lawns for died of old age. They sold the house and cast lots for his stuff. I got some hand me downs from him, and My Dad dug up the tulips from his backyard (Dad had been the one to plant them in the first place). He planted them in front of my house in the fall, and he died that winter. The next spring the forgotten tulips sprouted, and we all got a welcome reminder of him, as well as the feeling of life going on.
Tulips subsequently(sp) replaced roses (Dad grew them as well) as my favourite flower. The area where dads tulips grew has been augmented over the years by maybe 150 more, and we always have a nice--yes, brief--tulip display every spring. Anyway, they have been out a week and are growing dense and strong. I got maybe 35-40 almost free in the fall, so the bed of flowers should be especially good this spring.
2-Birds.
Song is in the air, most notably by the robins screaming their heads off early in the morning. I came back late Friday nite, and it was the total concert on the block. Very very loud singing, in each tree, by a robin. If you are ‘up this late these I guess few weeks’ until mates and territories are settled, you can’t escape the racket.
Quick, while we’re on birds, I saw a whole new bird today- the brown creeper.
I was hanging outside with the kids on Sunday. Neice’s # 4 & 5 were over and outside riding on those ‘skateboards with steering colums’ when I spotted movement in the silver maple next door. I only saw it for 15 seconds, but was able to figure it out quick. I ran to get the Peterson’s guide and looked under nuthatch because of the birds behaviour- it crawled up the tree. It wasn’t the nuthatch, but the creeper was on the same page. It looked like it, the size of it, and its circular style of climbing the tree. Then I heard it sing, and it matched what the book said it sounded like. All of that took, maybe, three minutes. I was real proud of myself.Quick, while we’re on bird songs, I heard another strange song in the air. Since its migration season, I hear a lot of stuff that’s unfamiliar. This time, I was able to spot the strange singer- it was the very familiar Dark Eyed Junco. Listen to the call here.
Quick, while we’re on familiar birds, we’ve been getting the regular downy woodpecker return. Only one or two, as far as I can tell and judging by the volume. They’re very cool looking birds, and I’m glad we get them.
Mike Quick. Another mass flyover from the geese. Again spotted them for gf, and she heard them when they crossed her position. Neat.
Hey , what happened to the deal with spring???????
3-Boys and Girls.
This really is the defining marker for spring= when they kids pair up. What ever the science is, released phremones and chemicals in the membrane what have you, it’s a rel trip to suddenly see the whole school air up overnite. There’s always couples, both ephemeral and “we’ve been to-gether since 9th” types. Suddenly, a lot of kissing in the middle of the halls and tonnes of hand holding from couples you would never have dreamed of. it’s a fun time.
No comments:
Post a Comment