Slouching Towards Any Color Whatsoever

    Thus far the greatest challenge of antique home ownership in Connecticut has been saving the bird food from the impressively-limber squirrel population.

   Until now. Presently I am scouring the property for any Spring color to send to our lovely Kate on her birthday. This challenge is a credible second. The third challenge is probably coming up with the property taxes.
    For us, most of the color we've seen this year has come with the birds. Since December 4th when they first noticed our attempts to feed them, they have brought an indefatigable spirit and then, finally, Spring! After this long and cold winter, I shall always capitalize 'Spring' and feed the birds.We've even started making our own feeders so we can watch them more closely and with fewer hindrances.

A piece of slate on a rope

   Yesterday I sat in the big window and made a list of the afternoon birds: cardinals, bluebirds, bluejays, grackles, nuthatches, chikadees, starlings, a house finch, umpteen house sparrows, a downy and a red-bellied woodpecker, a hawk far above, juncoes....but I bore those of you who have been surrounded by Spring for months.

    You've seen the crocuses...

but here is something new for us.....violets.

And these opened just in time for the festivities,

Not-so-colorful but exciting nonetheless,

And cheating...

...this one we had to force bloom inside....and given our in-home temperatures it took a long month.

And our final colors for you...

...the marbles in the fence.

Happy Birthday sweet Kate!