Again the weather was perfect. I opened up the windows, and we enjoyed a fresh, warm breeze in the house, as though it was summer. Clothes were hung out to dry, George cooked some chicken on the grill, and the tea jar sat out in the sun brewing a nice peppermint tea. Martha spent a good part of the day on the front stoop, her favorite place in warm weather.
I’ve noticed that so much has changed this past week. I’ve watched the willows take on their green, the dandelions are popping up, the rhubarb is poking through, the lilies by the lamppost too. The lilac bush is getting its leaves, and the maple by the deck has the beginnings of green. Back at our nest boxes, there have been tree swallows and bluebirds checking things out, though the ever-present house sparrows seem to protest.
The little chipping sparrows have returned.
We took our barbecued chicken, with some orange-zucchini bread I made yesterday, and headed up to Harris Hill Park for a picnic. The place was quite busy between the little amusement park and the picnic area. We could see the sailplanes being towed up from the field from our spot in the park.
We headed back to Spencer Crest to finish our day. The birds to be seen were few today, but we spotted several deer walking in the woods quite near to us, and not fearful. This one seemed to pose for the picture.