Hints of Spring

All the standard hints of spring are out there. Snowcover is gradually giving way to bare ground, except that it isn't bare, but covered by hibernating grass. Most of the sidewalk ice is gone, though March ice can be the most treacherous of all (see March 11, 12 & 13, 2003). Last night around 10, Orion and his Big Dog companion were fairly far to the southwest, preparing to leave our nighttime sky.

This morning I heard a couple of birds singing. They seemed to be in call-and-response mode. Two notes from one bird, then two different notes from a different bird off in a different direction, then two more notes from the first bird. I stood there listening to it for about a minute, as the birds made themselves heard over the rumbling of cars and the distant whoosh of an airplane. Couldn't say what kind of birds. If I had to know, I might be able to find out, but for this morning it was enough to hear them sing of spring. Spring mating, that is. What else could it be?

Not everyone is glad to see the end of winter. This came home from school the other day with Ann:

So far I've come up with a few names for the creation. "Snowman Raging at the Prospect of His Demise." Or "Frosty Needs Rehab." Or "Snowman Sluggo, Mr. Bill's Wintertime Tormentor".