listening for spring

maple buds on the tree over our house

 It's early this year - and we've had but a couple of snowfalls and one weekend of ice - but I decided that's no reason to ignore all the spring that's happening around here.  It feels undeserved somehow, but is that how all of the South feels every year? Surely not. Spring is to be reveled in, regardless of how it arrives or how little we've suffered for it.

Crocuses! Not from our yard, but they'll be here soon

 Dan's been working against several deadlines this past week - and is not yet done - but he took time this evening to join us for a quick meal and then a walk down the bike path.  We'd heard a rumour of spring peepers...

 The river was serene in the evening sunlight, lower than usual, but sporting an impressive pile-up of timber from recent high waters.

We may have heard some wood frogs way off in the distance, but no peepers tonight. We did hear some of our first redwing blackbirds - O-ka-leee!!  And a huge flock of blackbirds - I'm guessing a mix of starlings, grackles, and blackbirds, chattering and swimming through the skies like huge schools of fish.

 It was mesmerizing.

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from Poor Will's Almanac:

February 27: Great flocks of blackbirds and grackles move across the nation as February comes to an end. They tell you that sweet corn has been planted along the Gulf coast. 

How does he do that?!