Signs of Spring

This morning around 5:30 A.M., despite the forecast for snow, I got up and opened my bedroom window. Why, you might ask? The birds were singing! If the birds are returning, then spring must be on it's way.

Later in the morning there was a beautiful Blue Bird sitting on my deck and I decided to take a picture. He was gorgeous. Just strutting his stuff across the rail of our back deck. So I get out my camera and I'm ready to snap the picture, when another sign of spring decides to pay me a visit. A spider dropped down from his web right into my face. Of course my reaction was to scream and jump backward, crashing into the kitchen table and scaring away the Blue Bird. We then had to get Ryan on the scene to rescue us from the pin-head sized beast.

Later I did manage to get a picture of a Blue Bird in the tree, but he's not looking at me and I really hate it when my subjects don't look where I need them to. I also found a Woodpecker, but you can't see 1/2 of him because of a branch. Oh well. Guess I'm not really the bird watching type.

However, Rylee thinks she is. She and her friend Aishlee got all dressed up and headed out to spot some birds of their own.

Woodpecker

Blue Bird - (This might be a female. Not as bright as the other one.)

Which actually reminds me of another story. The other day the girls and I were talking about birds, and how the male is always more colorful and attractive than the female. The kids asked why and I told them it was natures way of protecting the females so that the could reproduce. Males are prettier and therefore get more attention. Rylee's response? "Well, I'm glad I'm not a bird. Human girls are way better than boys."

And of course, we can't leave without another picture of the spoiled little baby of our house. Isn't he cute!

On another note...today, after 4 failed attempts in the past few months, I finally made Grandma Debbie's Poofy Pancakes look poofy. Rylee and Aishlee even ate them. In the past, when I have tried to make these, they never turn out poofy and the kids don't eat them. They pretend they are interested until they think I'm not watching and then they dump them. And so, after nearly 10 years of marriage, my cooking skills just might be improving.