The promise of spring

I'm not expecting spring any time soon. I've seen the forecast for the next week and there is more snow on our horizon. And even if they change their mind and make it rain, just the threat alone, hanging over our heads all week long, is enough to remind me that spring isn't here yet. That didn't stop us from playing the garden today, though. We spent the morning inside, closing up some of our Africa exploration, getting the laundry done (in ancient Egypt, I'm told, they may have done their laundry in the Nile, so watch out for that hippo), and practicing piano. I hit the treadmill, we had lunch, we made it to the library to sort books, and when we returned in the mid afternoon the weather was sunny and warm enough to beckon us to look for new shoots, feed the birds, and check our backyard gardening.

Some of the tulips are here, just pushing their noses through the cold, wet earth, and a handful of other plants are starting to green up, but the trees are reserving their splendor just yet and I can only hope the three newest will eventually join the party. All our backyard work from last summer seems to have wintered well; the new sump pump routes are holding their own and thanks to them the lawn and gardens are drier than in any other spring we've lived here (which is to say that our backyard is not a swamp this spring). And as we strolled through our yard we heard our first Sandhill Crane call of the year. They are back and have hopefully brought warmer weather behind them. Spring isn't here, but her promise is.

The soul of Sunday—family

A rare treat. Jon, who usually teaches (piano) at the institute on Sunday afternoons was with us all day today. We soaked up cuddles in the morning, snow play at noon, errands after lunch, games at tea time, live music during quiet time, and a coincidentally timed extended family dinner in the evening. Family, family, and more family, and still there is never enough. Every Sunday could be like this, please, although in the future I would add more sun.

Camp

Qwirkle

Spring bird houses to decorate our table

Charley Harper on the iPad

Slinky

Fighting the fever

It's too early for spring fever. And it was really too cold for puddle splashing today, too, but with fresh snow lurking just around the corner what's a mother to do? I'm dying to get out, he's dying to get out...so after a morning at the library out we went. Snow is a little hard for Calvin to manage on his bike, which I'm sure would be true anyhow but the more I watch at him riding that thing the more I'm seeing images of clowns on tiny toy two-wheelers being followed by yappy little dogs in neck cones. I think it's time for a new one.

In actuality it was definitely too cold for puddle splashing today, but that's what we have heat and hot tea for when we get home, right? And who am I to curb his enthusiasm? I'm just mighty pleased the boots still fit.

This is the most rewarding time of year to bird watch. Many of our birds are still around or are heading back, and without leaves in the trees they are much easier to spot. Calvin found this cardinal for us, and I spotted the very shy junco.

Okay, now how about some hot tea and scones from under a warm blanket while reading a good book? Sounds perfect. I'm not sure but I might like these days better than the warmer ones.

Easter

It came and went in a haze of beautiful weather. What happened to the annual Easter snow storm? I'm still thinking that spring got confused and sent summer to descend upon us two months early. Most of our usual party suspects were out of town for the holiday this year and we missed them, but we had a great time with Gram and Grandpa (my parents), Nonnie (my Godmother, Lonnie), several brightly colored eggs, and duckcakes. This is the second year in a row that we've waited until Easter itself to decorate the eggs (nothing like waiting until the last minute) and also the second year in a row that it has been warm enough to hide and hunt for them outside, the difference being, of course, that this year the outside was much greener than last. We hunted for eggs, we grilled dinner, we ate with the house open and light, and we finished the night with duckcakes. We hope you had a wonderful Easter, too.

Detroit Zoo, 4/1

No fooling (to be honest I've always hated the concept of April Fool's Day), it was practically summer at the zoo today. All through March I tentatively predicted at least one more major snow fall, and in the end I believe we received exactly zero inches of snow for the whole month. Now here we are on the first day of April sweating in shorts and t-shirts and reaching for ice cream during an afternoon at the zoo. I still won't hold my breath—snow in April is always a possibility in Michigan—but could it be that spring is really here?