Burying the "Goodies"

Nothing like some warm weather to bring out the little dog's urge to find nasty aged things aged over the winter and bury them in the soft spring soil.  Pretty entertaining as this dog has plenty to eat but likes to hide "goodies" for a lean time (which will never come around here for her).  She hates for us to watch so she goes to the very end of the leash.

Daffodils are up all over, the tulip shoots will soon bud.  It is supposed to be in the 80s soon, but all the college kids are out of town on spring break.  Soon the peace and quiet will be over but the energy will be back.  

With this weather we should be tilling in a week or so.

The Bulb Surprise

Walking around the Morgantown neighborhood I am surprised by all the bulbs sending really green shoots.  Some of these yards look pretty plain other times of the year, but with the brown of winter still lingering the  deep green shoots are exciting.  The grass is really starting to green up as well and buds are on the trees and shrubs.  The forsythia should be coming along soon.

The little dog dug a world class hole on the farm today.  It wore her out which is a good thing.

Ohio Peepers

A peasant drive through the Pike County hills along the swollen Scioto River on a sunny cool day is a nice way to pass time with my 103 year old dad and the little dog.  We stayed on 2 lane roads as much as possible.  Two evening little dog walks were serenaded by spring peepers (Pseudacris cucifer see: http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/spring_peeper.htm).  I heard peepers in WV a week or so ago, but it was fleeting.  This was a good chorus.  The gibbous moon was bright, but I forgot to look for Mars which is close right now (Mars in in Cancer).  The phoebe was making a nest the other day on the back porch.  Spring is progressing nicely.

Time for a fire

A front moved in and it is time for a fire.  Thus I need to warm myself twice, once by cutting some wood and once by burning it.   It is nice to start a fire in a clean stove.  The draft is good and plenty of room for stoking.   The warm sunny days dried out the wood pile so the task should be easy.  No more digging the snow off of the wood.

It seems like the dog knows it is too cold to do much so she is curled up in one of her beds.

Doesn't look like it will be dreary for long.  I hear talk of planting.......

Spreading snowdrops

Glorious weather day after day here in the Allegheny Uplands.  We notice how the crocus and snowdrops spread each year.  The birds are busy and the two geese are lingering on the pond.  A long layover before the trip north.

The springs are running fresh and fast.  The little dog just can't seem to drink in the smells fast enough. The seed order arrived from Fedco today with CR Lawn's end of the ordering season newsletter.  Spring is here and let the games begin.

Spring on, winter gone

Winter left the farm like turning off a light switch. The days are warm, sunny and dry (well not the ground which is still pretty squishy. I asked about tilling today and set about seeing if the tiller I took in last fall for a tune up is ready. The snow drops are up and blooming at home and Crocus Island is blooming away in our South Park neighborhood. Many weeks with little sun stores up a lot of energy. It is coming out in good ways.

A couple of geese stopped off in our pond on their way north. They gave me and the little dog a lot of honks as though they had leased the spot.