Obvious signs of spring

I can't help it. I just have to put these up now. I'll write a more substantive post soon, I promise. Not today, because I really have to go outside.

Star Magnolia in the backyard.

Maybe I should rake up the leaves I didn't rake last year. The irises in front of the house are looking hopeful, but also need to be raked out.

My daffs are blooming a little later than those down the street, where there's more sun. Soon there will also be tulips.

Ah, Forsythia. I meant to force some a few weeks ago. This is just as good.

You can't see it in this picture, but I just put the screen on the front door and hoisted the porch swing onto its hooks. Now I need to sweep up the debris from the woodpile. It's not quite time to move the last of the wood off the porch--I'm betting I'll still need to make a few fires to take the chill off the house. After all, it's only April.

Signs of spring

This has been a colder and snowier winter than I can remember in Kansas. Though the snow has mostly melted, I've just had to buy more firewood for the woodstove. I'm hoping this will keep me warm for the next few weeks.

Still, winter is losing its grip. This crocus proves it to me.

Oh, I know we'll have at least one more snowstorm, as we always do, but it won't last. I'll put the porch swing back up and watch the neighborhood come out of hibernation. We'll all shake off our winter lethargy.

That reminds me of the folktale from North Carolina about why bear hibernates. He was a terrible grump, stomping all over the smaller animals' homes. They decided to do something about it. After he went to sleep in a cave, they covered the entrance to the cave. He woke up from time to time, but because it was still dark, he thought it was still night. He slept for months. In the spring, the small animals got worried and went to check on him. When they uncovered the entrance, the light shone in and woke him up. He was in such a good mood from sleeping so well, he has hibernated every winter.

Time to put another log on the fire.