Prescription for a long life

Until I am able to post about my recent trip to the Sandhills for the Prairie Chicken Festival  I want to say I agree with retired University of Nebraska Professor Paul A. Johnsgard who believes that the hours devoted to watching birds, like those spent reading or stargazing, are not counted against one's allocated time on earth.

It's spring

Spring's signs are unmistakably present.

People are active.

Flower planting, mulching, mowing, and other landscaping tasks are now common in our neighborhood. (I don't like weeding.)

Birds are active also.

New sightings include red-winged blackbirds and wild turkeys. Grackles think the bird feeder belongs to them. This morning a mallard walked the golf course. Male goldfinches have turned a bright yellow. House finches are everywhere.

What a pretty time of year!

Tis the season

In a matter of days grass turned green, tree buds appeared (and leaves followed), flowers and weeds bloomed and lawns were mowed. Golfers are already frustrated. Temperatures sometimes reached the 80s.

Where we live male goldfinches have turned bright yellow and (common) grackles have arrived in numbers to overwhelm bird feeders. Wild turkeys across the road gobble every morning and evening.

It must be spring!

But let's not get ahead of ourselves!

This morning's low was close to freezing. Baseball's opening day is not yet a week past. Mother's Day is a month away and we still need April showers to bring May flowers.