Tag Archives: Spring

The best of Spring

Audio, Nature, , ,

I have long disliked winter, but without winter, I guess I wouldn’t have perspective to properly enjoy the best of all seasons, spring.  It’s hard to beat that special color of purpley-red that hints on the trees before any other colors show.  And the fresh green of newly forming buds and leaves is like none other.  And probably my favorite of all natural spring things is the look and especially the smell of new daffodils.  I wish I could find a way to bottle the clean smell that is daffodil.  If someone made daffodil perfume, I would wear it myself!

Daffodils

Well, maybe not…

Anyhow, I also love to hear the spring peepers, tiny frogs that call all night in the spring looking for love I suppose.  Winter gets awful lonely after all!  I happened to be out in early March and was able to hear the first peep-frogs of the season.  That sound is almost as special as the smell of daffodils.  Both generate sort of emotional responses in me.

Well, maybe not…

Spring Peep-frogs in March (click)

But still, I really like both.  Among unnatural things, I also find a few favorites in spring!  From December 26th until Easter, there is a chance that one will find Cadbury cream eggs.  I love Cadbury eggs…almost as much as bacon and Hank Williams, Sr.  The problem, of course, is that they don’t really last long enough.  Their growing season, so to speak, is only 3 months at best.  A depraved Cadbury egg lover like me has to resort to ridiculous measures in order to survive from Easter until December 26…I stock up like a mad man!  The other day, I took a picture of my stash at the office…I have a similar stash at home as well.  While this probably won’t last until next season, it will set me well on my way!

My Stash of Cadbury Eggs!!!

And finally, and I know there are haters…I present my other spring-time favorite, black licorice jelly beans.  I know we are a rare breed, but I love black jelly beans.  I got some mediocre ones at the store this year, but truly good ones are hard to find but so worth the hunt!

Black jelly beans!

With all of these wonderful spring things, I don’t even mind my allergies when they flare up a little…and I don’t mind watching my son mow the yard.  Spring is so worth it!

Some color in the mountains

Nature, WV, , , ,

I love April.  In fact, yesterday was the perfect date…”April 25th.  Because it’s not too hot, not too cold, all you need is a light jacket.”  That’s from Miss Congeniality…one of the funniest movies ever.  Of course, I would laugh at anything that has Sandra Bullock.  I have a secret crush on her.  Anyhow, the end of April is perfect I think.  Temperatures are nice but really, the colors that pop are what make it especially excellent for me.  I took some pictures that don’t even begin to capture how beautiful and vivid the colors are right now (and especially the last week or so).

Redbud tree in the mountains Redbud tree in the mountains Wild violets

There is such diversity of life here and the mountains, as they green, are just alive with colors.  Dogwoods and redbuds seem to burst out everywhere.  While nondescript during the summer, redbuds and dogwoods are the princes of spring!  Maples come alive first and give the first reddish tint to the mountains but the real power comes later with the purple and white buds that follow.

Spring mountains

I guess the lower humidity and temperature make it so, but even the green backdrop of the leaves and grass are just more vivid than any other time of year too.  I suppose I sort of come alive again after the (for me) depressing winter browns.  I come to really appreciate the color in the mountains every spring and it just wouldn’t feel right without seeing the change and being in the change.  Its in the birds’ songs and the frogs peeps and most definitely in the color of the trees!

Poop = Spring

Audio, Bees, Nature, Thoughts, ,

Sunday was absolutely beautiful in WV. The high temperature was in the 50s and the snow started to give way to small signs of spring. Daffodils are breaking  through the ground and my bees were able to get out of the hive to poop. Bees, you see, won’t poop in the hive. They also cannot fly outside in cold temperatures. Bees are cold-blooded so if they break the cluster (bees cluster together very closely in the hive in cold temperatures and rub together using friction to stay warm all winter), they very quickly slow down and die. What’s a bee to do then? Well, they hold it of course…sometimes for months!

See it? Yellow spots...both sides in the snow...relief!
Why am I fascinated with this?

So, it always brightens my day in the early spring when I see yellow…I love the yellow of daffodils, the yellow of forsythia, and the yellow of fresh bee poop!  When temperatures rise such that any of my three yellows are possible, I get out and frolic a bit (not like the rabbits frolic of course).

Fifteen minutes after I washed my car!

I washed Steve Sunday morning and parked it in the driveway so I could watch it shine in the sun.  Much like birds are able to find a clean car, so too can bees.  Of course, remember that there can be as many as a quarter of a million bees in the hives at my house…and all of those bees have had their legs crossed for a long time.  My formerly green car now has a yellow tint…but you know what…I love yellow…it means spring!

Smart pills!

Emily says I am preoccupied with poop and animal anatomy so you can imagine my fascination with this pile of deer poop in my yard.  My Dad used to call those pellets smart pills.  I don’t think they really worked very well, but that’s another story.  Anyhow, Momma deer are now with fawns so my finding smart pills gives me hope that I will get to see newborn fawns again this year.

Oh yeah, check out this bird’s song!  Beautiful…and very springy!  Charleston is starting to break through I hope (though we have snow forecast for the rest of the week…but I choose to ignore that).

By no means do I want my yard overrun with natural fertilizer, but I have to tell you, a little poop means spring and in my book, that’s a great thing!