It's in the Air!

Spring is here........   full steam ahead, it is April.  The flowers are now blooming, grass is greener and the forest floor is showing some signs of green too.  This is the first layer of spring that I love to watch.  The next layer of green in the forest is from the underbrush, there is an order to these things.  Soon the trees will begin to leaf out, we'll see the redbuds first.  My friend wrote about how she loves the redbuds and dogwoods.  She is from the Ozarks and I've been there when the redbuds and dogwoods bloom, it is a wonderful sight.  It was like enjoying two springs.  Our spring in Ohio always comes later than in Arkansas.

When we went to Washington DC last weekend, their redbuds were just bursting out.  The cherry blossoms were not yet at their peek, I suspect this week is a different story.  I also noticed a tulip tree ready to pop open with it's beautiful blooms while there too.  We must be a week behind Washington DC in our order of spring.

Another note that spring has come in our center of the world, the farmers are cleaning their barns.  I have opened the windows for the fresh air and am greeted by perfume from the neighbor spreading cow manure in the field in front of our house.  I have never understood why people move to the country if they don't appreciate farm smells!  There are other farm smells I love more, corn in August just as it begins to tassel, fresh cut hay and the scent of rain before it actually arrives.

Spring also is a time for all the babies, baby calves are born.  I love seeing new foals playing in a field together and nothing is more fun than sheep and goats ponging around!  You have to look harder to see the wild babies.  Fawns are often hidden, but a couple years ago my nosy Lab found one in our little cover of trees near our tipi.  I went to see what on earth the bleating noise was and discovered a very frightened fawn.  Jessie was banned from the trees and all was well.  Yesterday, I saw seven deer crossing our little horse pasture, I'll bet that fawn was one of them. 

If you have read any other posts by me, you know I am a big bird fan.  I love seeing the birds pair up and start their nesting process.  I already have a robin building a nest at the front door on the light fixture.  The good is she likes it there and I can watch the progress, the bad is the mess they create and the fear that they will accidentally come in the house if I leave the door open.  Especially stressful for the robin, turning the light on at night!  I will just be more careful for the next 6 weeks and allow her to proceed with her job.  I will almost hold my breath waiting to hear the first Northern Oriole sing in my trees.   They always nest here and I love having them.  Many times their nests will be found on a branch that has broken and fallen, it is made of horse hair woven together to make a beautiful basket for their eggs and later baby birds, totally amazing to me!  I would love swinging in that horsehair basket watching all that is going on in the back yard of our little world in the early summer.

Yes, spring is in the air and I am thrilled to experience the sights, the smells and the warmth of the sun!