The Red-Wings are Back!

This was the warmest and most beautiful day of the year so far, and I had to work this afternoon. We even tied the record high for this date with a temperature of 73°. Do I have to tell you how difficult it was for me to get in that car and drive west? I'm sure my TRVL BUG likes to be out and about in this kind of weather, because all Beetles do, but work was not where I wanted to be. I was fine once I got there though, because I work with wonderful people and it's always good to see the patients I've known for over 30 years.

Daylight Saving Time went into effect last weekend, and this was three weeks earlier than normal. I absolutely LOVE Daylight Saving Time, and wish we observed it year round. Of course, I'm a night owl, so the later it stays light in the evenings, the better. That's my time of day. I couldn't care less at what hour the sun rises, because I rarely am awake in time to see that event. Sunsets are just as pretty.

Because of DST, and the fact that I got out of work on time, I was able to get out and enjoy the warm weather once I got home. I took a walk-through of the gardens and noticed that many more bulbs are coming up and more perennials are showing new growth. 'Cape Blanco' sedum is looking especially pretty.

All the snow is now gone, but the ground is still gushy and there are several areas where water lays puddled. I was really looking forward to some beautiful hellebore blooms this spring, but I don't think it's to be. After being covered by a couple feet of snow for several weeks, the thaw presented me with no blooms and not much green. The most I can hope for now, I think, is that they revive with the warmer weather.

Romie and I took a walk down to the big bridge over Blue Creek and as usual, Simba accompanied us. She takes the low road (ditch) most of the time and returns home a muddy mess. But she's 13 years old and she's a dog, so she's entitled, I suppose. Jinx used to walk with us, too.

Down at the bridge, which is known to our family as Poohsticks Bridge, Blue Creek was running high and fast. The drainage tiles were spilling runoff into the creek at a pretty good rate, too. It's pretty down by the bridge, and we walk down there and explore pretty regularly. In a couple of weeks, we'll take a walk through the small woods nearby and hopefully the wildflowers will be in bloom. There will be Dutchman's Breeches, Trout lilies, violets, Spring Beauty, and purple Trillium. But today, there's only half-green grass and a layer of corn stalks that a previous flooding has left.

As we walked back towards home, I heard several different types of birds calling, including the killdeer. I associate the killdeer with summer, so I'm glad to hear that it's back, although its distinct call becomes rather annoying about the same time I start complaining about the heat and humidity. It's interesting how differently you look at things, depending on what side of summer you're on.

I also noticed a small flock of blackbirds perched in a tree, and as I approached, I saw some flashes of...could it be? RED! There's no turning back now; spring is truly here, as evidenced by the return of the red-winged blackbird.

I love spring in my corner of Ohio. No, we don't have mountains like they do in Colorado, nor do we have forests of trees like I've seen in Michigan, but it has its own brand of beauty, even at the end of a long winter.





* Photo of Agelaius phoeniceus by Laura Erickson