April 10, 2017

Spring Firsts

Having a fire in winter is nice, but not needing one in spring/summer is even better.


Spring awakens. Life returns. This is a time of firsts, and we have had a few over the past couple of weeks.

First morning we didn't have to heat our home. We usually start the wood stove as part of our beginning of day routine. On winter mornings our home is usually between 12 and 15 degrees C (53 - 57 degrees F) when we get up, so a bit of heat is nice. It is a nice change this time of year when we make the shift from burning tree energy to enjoying the sun's energy.





First bike ride. I was looking at my photos and noticed that my last bike ride was December 21th. On that ride, I sat in a clearing in the forest and watched an early sun set on the shortest day of the year. Now instead of having to be home by 4:30, I can start a ride at 4:30, and stay out till 8:30.


First flowers of Spring.

First snowdrops. Neighbours down the road toward the ocean from us have a beautiful perennial garden along the road. On my bike ride I stopped to admire the little white bells leading the way into a new, warmer season. A sight for sore eyes after months of cold.


Soon robins will be nesting. For the enterprising robin, this will be the first of two broods.

First robins. Mobs of robins, everywhere. Lawns and fields covered in foraging, red-breasted modern day dinos. I was happy to not be a worm or bug. And its not only robins returning.

A flock of geese has been hanging out in our neighbourhood fields, honking and hailing me as I ride by. I give them the nod. All is as it should be, and their presence reassures me.

Turkey vultures, eagles, gulls and more are joining the birds that stay year round, like pileated woodpeckers, blue jays, crows and ravens. Is it time to put out the hummingbird feeder, or am I jumping the gun on that one? How exciting.

Soon our forest and field will be host to a chorus of winged wonders.

Let the concert begin. We, and the birds, lived through another winter. It is a rising note from here to summer solstice. Enjoy your spring firsts... or fall lasts, depending on where you are on this amazing planet of ours.




9 comments:

  1. Anonymous4/10/2017

    Sounds nice and enjoy the abundance on your doorstep. Strangely summer like here in England.
    Alex

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alex,

      People will enjoy the warmer temperatures... until it gets so hot their crops won't grow any more. But heat sure is nice after being slightly cold for so long. There must be lots of flowers out where you are at. Only snowdrops here. For now.

      Delete
  2. Lovely post and photos. You reminded me that we don't have robins down here in Alabama. At least none that I've seen. Lots of cardinals though. Enjoy your spring!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lorraine,

      I haven't seen cardinals here, so we are even. Happy Spring to you and your family.

      Delete
  3. We've had a mocking bird regaling us with song each morning. I know it will move on, but what a gift! The trees are just budding and daffodils blooming, Spring truly is here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Marla,

      We looked up mocking birds to listen to their song. Wow. They are imitators and can learn up to 100 different tunes. Enjoy your spring. Our trees haven't bud out yet, but we can see they are changing. A little green will be nice.

      Delete
    2. The trees here have budded out much earlier than is usual.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous4/13/2017

    It's Autumn here so I've been enjoying the first of many cosy fires.

    Madeleine.x

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous4/14/2017

    Beautiful. So much life. Standing on my patio today, listening to birds, I thought how alive spring green feels. Like everywhere else In the northern hemisphere, early warming caused early blooming, then a hard freeze settled in for a couple of days. Some trees and flowers lost their young blooms, but some made it. The oak in my back yard is the last to open leaves. They just popped out over the past couple of days. We in full spring here now. Something about honking geese gives me pause and a relaxing smile. They speak to me too. Terri

    ReplyDelete

Comments will be printed after moderation to eliminate spam. We are proudly a no buying, no selling website.

We enjoy reading all comments, and respond when time permits.

If you put a name to your comment we can all recognize you for your contribution.

Thank you for visiting and commenting.