Signs Of Spring, West Chester, March 6, 2013

I am like others in many respect in that I can't wait for warmer weather so I can get out side and start working in the yard. You know - digging in the dirt - and planting things.This particular posting will probable be a little over a several day period. Why? Just because I want to get thoughts down as I think of them and as I see signs of Spring. In fact as I sit here starting this posting the news is on TV and they are predicting a winter storm warning will be posted in the next day or so. Sure enough the next day they did declare a winter storm warning for my area. Now a night later as I sit here the prediction is for 5 to 6 inches of snow.  Tonight 3/5/2013 as I sit here I can tell you it has rained most of the day and is expected to change over to a rain snow mix late this evening. I watched a couple of basketball games and when I went to bed the ground was covered with a very wet and  heavy snow. This morning around 5:30 when I went out to get the paper I had about 5 inches of snow after snowing all night. Very wet and heavy. Boy would this snow make a wonderful snow man. Don't think I will try it though. This is the kind of snow that really sticks on trees and is really beautiful. Speaking of this, one of the side effects of all of this snow on the trees is the impact it has on my Magnolia tree.These trees are really an evergreen although most people do not realize this and they stay green all year and just shed old green leave as the limbs grow and new leaves come out pushing the old leaf off. They spend months doing this. It is just not a one time event so I spend several months picking up these old leaves. The snow on the leaves means that the shedding process is accelerated  so I will have thousands of leaves to pick up over the next few months. That is no exaggeration because this tree is higher than my two story house and has a diameter shade area that is over 30 feet. The Magnolia leaf is about 6 inches long, and 2 inches wide, thick and very heavy so they cannot be allowed to accumulate on the yard or they will smother out the grass. I can see from the tracks around the bird feeder that my deer friends came by for a meal. It also looks like they stopped at each fruit tree and had a snack. After breakfast I heard a noise out side and it was my wonderful neighbor Mike next door. He had his snow blower out and did his drive way as well as mine and two other neighbors. My record is still in tack. What record you ask. Well I kept procrastinating about having the snow blade put on my John Deere so this make 2 years the snow blade has not seen a flake of snow. Still new and unused. I think it is too late in the year to worry about having it put on now don't you?  Its March and Spring isn't it? Signs of Spring or signs of an optimist or signs of a procrastinator. Take your pick.

Signs of Spring. I think I mentioned a few days ago about my mail box being stuffed with catalogs seed and plant companies. That is a sure sign of Spring. In my front flower beds the daffodils  are up about 3 inches. The Maple trees are really starting to put out their buds. The pussy willow buds are swelling. The Canadian Geese who generally are around in large flocks are now around as mating pairs starting to check possible nesting locations. It is interesting they mate for life. Wonderful concept. When I am doing my workout at Fit Works one of the machines I use is upstairs in front of large floor to ceiling windows. From there I can see the entire parking lot and the various landscape island sin  it. Typically I see geese flying around but lately I have seen four pair of geese checking out roof tops and the grassy areas for nesting sites. Every year we hear about some duck or goose that made her nest on a roof top and later the babies could not get off the roof and had to be rescued. They are also, starting to get very aggressive when you get to close to them. When they lower their head and stretch out the neck and head for you you better watch out. They seem to think they own the parking lot and often seem ready to challenge the cars which get too close and generally will not move out of the way of approaching cars. You don't dare hit one of the crazy things because they are protected. Last year one pair had a nest just a few feet from one parking slot and the male goose was adamant that no one was going to get very close to his mate's nest. To protect the clients as well as the mother and her nest they finally blocked off this particular parking spot.

Speaking of planting, I have ordered so much stuff I don't know where I will find space to plant it. I may have to convert some more lawn space to flower beds. I may have to increase the number of planting pots I use. Sometime in April I will have to have these questions answered. Another sign of Spring is to be fund in my plant room where the Elephant Ears, Fern, and Banana plants are waiting for spring. My giant Elephant Ear is putting out a blossom bud. I hope is continues. They do not often bloom.

Speaking of snow I had to call grandchildren Michael and Lisa and cancel our weekly Wednesday meal after school.The church also called and told me that because of the snow I would not need to come in to sign checks. They did not want me out driving around in this stuff.  I am thankful for that because Lady Blue does not do well in the slick stuff. All this free time means I can look through more 35 mm slides. In the mean time a few snow photographs.

Snowy Back Yard.  Deer Tracks Around Bird Feeders

Snow Sticks To The Limbs

Snow Laden Magnolia Tree And Picnic Table

Beautiful Snow

Giant Elephant Ear Blossom Bud In Center Of Photo

Well this is about it for this time. Speaking of the 35 mm slide project a new idea is starting to jell ( in this cold weather jell is a good word ) in my mind and that is as I find and group my slides according to dates, places and events I may do a blog posting on that period of time for example my first year on active duty in the U. S. Air Force in Goose Bay Labrador 1955 and 1956. Boy that was a long time ago. I may even create a new blog to cover those kinds of activities. What do you think? How about something like " Life with Grandpa Bill ".

Remember God love you and so do I.

Grandpa Bill