Early Spring

Yesterday was St. Paddy's day and in two days will be the Vernal Equinox. Is Spring really here? This morning when I was wiping the dusting of last night's snow off my windshield I wasn't quite so sure. I mean I live below the Mason-Dixon line and definitely not up "north". But March is a dicey month for weather in these parts. At least we've got longer days of light when it isn't raining and overcast.

But enough about the weather. I feel Spring. And the early blooming cherry tree across the road from my house is in a shock of pink. I open my front door and look up and there it is in all its majesty. And then there's all those little perky crocuses across my front lawn. Baby flowers but they are brave enough to weather the still near-freezing nights. And then there's all the budding trees casting dots of color against still bare tree limbs.

All of these are the first signs of early Spring outside. Inside our houses we start to clean (or in my case call-in the cleaning people). The bright white sunlight on clear days inspires us to even de-clutter the most messy rooms (for me that's my studio----I'm still waiting for a day over 60 degrees and sunny. Think I'll get that day soon?)

Soon all the flowers and trees will be in bloom. We'll have another Cherry Blossum Festival. And just maybe I'll get to see the Kite Festival on the Mall too.

But most of all Spring is a wonderful time for renewal (and I hear a great time to eat chocolate bunnies too!!!!) Maybe I'll take photos of this Spring. Just something to remind me when its grey and wet and raw outside.

While We Wait

I'm losing track of which day it is. It happens in retirement or so I've heard from the old timers. I'm not worried about losing track too badly because I have Kathleen who is working Monday through Friday every week. Kinda keeps me on track, if you know what I mean. Any way this is coming off as very spacey which is not my intention. Just my unfortunate effect.

Winter...I never get over it or in any way master the season. The climate brings me to my knees and the psychology of living with people who are confined for months would inspire me to art if I wasn't so depressed and just downright emotionally cold. But that's the climate here in the Mid-Atlantic. It's given to extremes. No wonder the local people are stoic and act like soldiers.

I've never been a soldier. On my mother's side of our family, my grandfather died in WWII and has been the last in a long line of soldiers dating back from the American Revolution. So I guess I've got soldiering in my genes but not in my heart.

So when Spring arrives I write and when the light is good, I paint abstract art. I hope to express myself well, humourously, and to a few of your likings.

But in the meanwhile I wait for March. March is the beginning of my new creative year. And It can't get here soon enough!!!

George and Gracie Are Back!

Every Spring the birds come back! And the first ones are the House Sparrows. Several years ago I was delighted with a mating pair who took over the air vent by our front door. This pair were quite animated.   

Every day as I sat soaking up the morning sun by our front door, these real-live comedians endeared me with their song and flying dances. I watched them choose each other, dance, mate, build a nest, and incubate their eggs.
 
Now you may say that all sparrows look alike. Well, yes indeed. George looked like a guy and Gracie looked like a girl sparrow. But mostly, I knew them because they were the sparrows that had chosen our air vent and felt safe around me. George could be quite bold. If I sat still and did an almost zen-like meditation, he would come within 6 inches of my foot. He'd cock his head and I could almost hear him thinking "Two-leggeds are so strange. Doesn't she have something better to do than watch us?"
 
And then finally, we knew that the chicks had arrived because we could hear them. Unfortunately, there were too many chicks and one got kicked out of the nest.
 
I was horrified!!!

Kathleen explained to me that this was nature's form of birth control and that we should let nature take its course--such as a cat would discover "our abandoned chick" and have lunch. I just couldn't let it go. So I convinced Kathleen to bring the chick inside the house.
 
So like for all things we Googled it---"abandoned sparrow chick."  We discovered that a shoe box with heating blanket and a towel could provide a temporary nest. And ironically, our chick needed to be fed dampened cat kibble, every 20 minutes. With two cats in the house, we had plenty of cat food. And thankfully, baby birds do sleep when the sun goes down.
 
And then I Googled bird rehabilitation and found this place in the woods called Second Chance. By now, after several feedings, we had both formed a parent-baby bond with our chick. And so of course, even Kathleen took off from work the next day and drove us all to Second Chance.
 
Second Chance is a wonderful place if you're a wild bird or someone who loves them. We gave them our chick, made a donation and hoped she survived.
 
While George and Gracie might not have been the best parents, we tried to do right by their progeny. So nowadays when I see the House Sparrows, I kinda feel like one of the family.