Spring is in the Air-If Only I Could Bottle the Smell!

     Take a deep breath. Can you smell spring? It's the best smell there is, and it's intoxicating. I wish I could preserve it, get it in a bottle somehow. And when I need a lift in the dead of winter, I'd be able to open the bottle and unleash a gust of spring air into the room, bringing with it the promise of something better. 

     Isn't that what Spring is supposed to signify? A new beginning? New Life? A fresh start? I guess the reason spring is so special to me is because it comes when we really need it, after months of looking at leafless trees, cloudy dreary skies, and usually, cold weather. A sprig of grass or even a dandelion is enough to bring a whisper of hope that the season will change, and warm weather and the sound of singing birds will soon fill the air.

     I didn't mean to sound so dramatic about it, but it is surprising how a change like this can improve one's mood or even their whole outlook on life. In plain English, spring makes me happy, and I embrace it!

   To elaborate more on the smell of spring, I have been extremely lucky. I have lived in the same house for just about my entire life. In almost all those years, we've had cherry, pear and an ornamental flower tree in the yard. They all blossom in the spring, and the scent is just heavenly! If you sit in the yard, or if you're upstairs in the house and the windows are open, the aroma of these blossoms wafts by often, and it's so pretty, so sweet, and lovely. I should add that the trees themselves are also pretty to look at.

    Time marches on, and the cherry trees have died, and in the past two summers we have been forced to cut them down. It took us a long time to cut them down, because it was like losing a friend, or putting a pet to sleep, almost. It had to be done, kind of like a mercy killing. The yard is still fragrant with the flower tree. Unfortunately, it grew up so much and we pruned the branches to where we can no longer reach them. I would always pull a branch down to nose level and inhale. I'd also bring cuttings to my grandmother. She always appreciated it. 

     I almost forgot to mention my lilac bushes. Lilacs seem to transcend time, the smell of lilacs transports me to every other spring since I was very young. It's one of the best fragrances ever, in my opinion.  Our lilac is strategically placed adjacent to where we sit in the front walk. So we can look at and smell the blossoms. I wish I had more!

     Another nice thing about flower blossoms is what happens when the petals fall off. I hate to see them go, but what a pretty way to do it! They fly through the air as if they were a snow flurry. And they land on the ground, drifting into piles much like snow would. Except did you ever see pink snow?

This "pink snow" is from where I work, the grounds at Avery Manor. This shot was taken last spring.

This was an interesting shot I got last spring from our faltering pear tree. It  is dying, but we haven't cut it yet. The birds use this tree a lot.  Anyway, it bloomed very well last year, even though it didn't produce any fruit-it didn't have a chance, the squirrels eat the little pears before they could grow up.  This is the very top of the tree.

This is the ornamental flower tree, before it went into full bloom. I have to scan older pictures to show you of what it used to look like.

I was thrilled when I saw how this picture came out- it's my lilac blossoms before they opened up.  Don't they remind  you of tiny little grapes?! I took this picture in 2006. I have tried unsuccessfully to get similar shots, but haven't had anything near as pretty as this one.

The cherry trees are gone (except for the stumps, of course) but they will live forever in this shot.

     There is much more that I could say about spring, but I'll save it for a future post. I'll leave you now with a reminder to stop and smell not only the roses, but any other flowers you happen to pass by! Even with spring allergies that I never encountered until recently, it's worth it.

Sincerely,

Karin

Happy Birthday, Bootsie and Chester!

    Today marks the birthday of my kitties Bootsie and Chester, as well as their litter-mates Priscilla, Mandy, Sprinkles, and one who I'm not sure had a name before we gave it away.

      I can't believe it's been such a long time-March 26, 1991. Literally a lifetime ago!  They have been gone for a few years now, having lived to be almost 16 years old. But they live on in my heart, and I will always fondly remember their antics. I still love them, and miss them very much. But I won't go into the sad parts, this story is about the week they came to live with me.

       I was anxiously awaiting the birth of these kittens! The mother cat, Willamina, was a feral cat that started hanging around our yard a few months earlier. She was a striking black and white cat, her face very distinctively marked.  It took a long time to gain her trust, and it didn't happen fully until after the kittens were born.  I had started feeding her, and gradually, she ran away less and less.  In the beginning, Bigfoot would not let her in the yard. He was extremely territorial, even with the ladies. But she wouldn't give up and eventually, she and Biggie were inseparable. It was adorable the way they did everything together like they were dating. She idolized him. But again, this is a full-length story meant for another day, so back to the kittens!

     It was a drizzling cool Sunday morning, when I went outside. Willie (short for Willamina) came to greet me, and she was skinny! That meant there were kittens around somewhere, and I had to discreetly track them down.  Throughout the morning, I tried to keep an eye on where she went, and finally, I found the hiding place...under the rabbit hutch!  We had a nice bunny in the backyard (Lilly, a white bunny my cousin's family needed to find a home for, came to live with us a few years before.)

       This was like Christmas morning for me--how many kittens were there? She was huge, so I figured there had to be at least four. Would any of them look like Bigfoot, the cat our vet assured us was "sterile" because of his double paws? How many would be black and white? I couldn't wait to find out. I had nobody to share my good news with-Dad was working and Mom was at church.  I must have called my grandmother, though I don't have a specific memory of it.  

           My memory is a little sketchy--I think it was the same morning when Willie moved the kittens from under the hutch to another less desirable place-next to the cellar window, I don't know what you call it, but it's an area with a brick wall around it, like a little room. Only trouble was, it started to rain, and the babies were not protected! Willie, what is wrong with you? Get in there and keep those kittens dry!

     She went off somewhere, and I got an umbrella to cover them. But it wasn't working.  I took matters into my own hands, and rescued the kittens to a clothes basket lined with warm towels. In the house they went, into the sun porch. I transferred them into a brand new plastic litter box with domed cover. A perfect house for a litter of kittens.

     When Willie finally came back, she was upset that her kittens were gone. She came to the door and I kept telling her "you have to come in the house". That is something she had never done before, she was still pretty wild. But I left the door open for a few minutes, and when she knew she had to come in for her kittens' sake, she did. 

       Here are some pictures-before and after they were born. I have to abbreviate the story, I guess I could start another whole blog about my pets. In brief, Bootsie and Chester were the two kittens we kept. They joined Bigfoot, Blackie and Grace, and Willamina.

     Chester was known as Chet-he loved to eat, was a real ham.  Bootsie was kind of skittish at times, was more serious that Chet. Together they were dubbed "The Tiger Boys". I miss holding them on my lap, and listening to them purr.  Our days of having a cat are on hold until Cindy is gone. I can wait, I have plenty of happy memories to hold me over.

Here is Willamina drinking some evaporated milk. I gave her a lot of extra food and milk while she was expecting! She shared it with Bigfoot. 

Can you see how chubby her tummy was? I loved the markings on her face, and on her hind leg.

Aren't they precious? Chester is the one at top left, Bootsie is on the right, only his head showing.

Is she contented or what? This is a litter box converted into nursery.

That's Bootsie in the back. Two of the other kittens were gray & white, one looked just like her Mom, we named her Priscilla.

Bootsie mewing! On this day, we had them in a box in the front yard. My grandmother came over to see them later that day. 

A couple of weeks later. That's Chet on the left, Prissy is the black silhouette, and Bootsie balancing on the edge.

Three little kittens at play!

Bootsie was always looking for a free meal! Mom doesn't seem to mind!

Chester and Bootsie-Brothers in Arms.

Guys, I will never forget you!
Love, Karin

A Little Bit More About Daylight Savings!

     I wrote a lengthy piece yesterday about daylight savings, but how could I forget the most important part?  This was always the day (back when it happened in April) that my grandmother and I would rejoice over.  We visited her on Sundays, and this was one Sunday we tried to always celebrate together. If I didn't make it to her home, we would talk about it over the phone, the novelty of it staying light out after 7pm.  I know Grammy is thinking about this from her most comfortable cloud up there, and smiling.

    As far as this year goes, I stayed up too late last night because of the time change, and in turn should have set my alarm so I wouldn't oversleep today. That's one thing I really dislike about daylight savings-the time I lose at night, it just goes too quickly! In reality, if you aren't paying attention to what time it is, you really won't even know there's a difference at all.  Unfortunately, I do have to watch the time, so it does matter. But it will all blow over in a few days.

    Wherever you are, have a good night!  This is a sunset from Old Orchard Beach a couple of years ago.

Karin

Daylight Savings Time brings a Bright Outlook with it!

     It's hard to believe that we're on the verge of spring. I think I may have already mentioned that this was one of the easiest winters I can ever remember in terms of lack of snow and cold. The pipes didn't threaten to freeze once! I didn't even have to put my boots on at all. That was refreshing after last winter. My only concern is that we might end up with a hot, humid summer. I feel bad about all the people who have had to deal with devastating tornadoes so early in the season. I can't even imagine having to cope with losing my home to a natural disaster. It makes me appreciate that I have a home and security.

     How do you feel about daylight savings time kicking in so early in March instead of in April? Even though I traditionally live for the day when we get the extra hour of light back, I feel a little funny or guilty about it happening so soon. I'm not sure I'm ready for it yet, it seems to be coming too fast. Or is it just that I'm getting older and everything goes faster?

      Getting back to daylight savings time makes me feel the inevitability of warmth, sunshine, singing birds and blooming flowers. It makes me feel ambitious for cleaning up the yard, planting flowers and veggies. It means my dog will be able to stay outdoors for hours on end, provided she doesn't bark too much! She has had many rides in the car this winter, and now she expects a ride every day. 

     Winter probably went fast because I was preoccupied with my class. Breaking it down into weeks made it more manageable.

I'm happy to report that week 14 of my 16 week class starts on Tuesday, and week 16 is the Final Exam. Then I slide right into week 1 of part II, which is the management part, on April 3rd. And also, this week I finish what I started 12 years ago-my "breaking into print" writing course, that counts as a 7 credit college English class! I need 12 credits, so this will be a great start. The best part is that this class is 12 parts, and I already completed the first 6 parts.  It should be easier this time around because I will be able to submit my work via e-mail. 

     It's nice to finally feel like I am making progress. I have been treading water for what seems like decades. Being able to accomplish goals that previously seemed impossible makes me feel like I can do anything. And God knows I still have a lot more to do!  I think God for helping me reach my goals, and all the friends, family and colleagues who kept on encouraging me!

Have a great first day of Daylight Savings, and take a minute to review your goals for the coming months. Hopefully by the time we turn our clocks back, I will have achieved more of what I have set out to do. One of those goals is to make this blog a success. I check my "stats" and "audience" on the blogger dashboard, and see that people from Russia, Germany, Columbia, Bulgaria, England, and Latvia have read my blog. I know who the people from Bermuda and New Zealand are, and I say hello to them now.  Can those wonderful people from abroad come forward and e-mail me a greeting, or any type of feedback? Tell me a bit about yourself!  The same goes for the Americans who read my blog. I don't know what part of the country you are from, but I would love to know.

Take Care, and enjoy some of my images of spring!

Remembering Bigfoot on his birthday!

     It's 11:56 pm, but I made it here in time to pay tribute to a very special pet who was born on February 28th, 1978. He was born into a litter of six kittens, and he was the runt. We fell in love with him, and I was so glad we got to keep him.(I was only ten years old, but he lived until my late 20's).  He was born 34 years ago today.

      His name was Bigfoot, for reasons you should be able to figure out! He was an amazing cat: Black tiger, double paws (actually, I'd say they were triple paws). Fluffy, intelligent, independent. We've never had a cat like him before or since.  

     He has been gone since 1995, he lived 17 years, most of them spent doing what he did best, being a free-spirited, wild animal! I can't do him justice today, I need to scan some more pictures of him into this computer first, so you can see the look in his eyes. This one you've seen before, but it's worth showing again. 

     Bigfoot was very smart, territorial, and loved to eat.  In future columns, I'll tell you some funny stories about him.  I will cherish him forever! Biggie-Boy, I hope I see you again some day! I can't wait for you to jump on my lap once again!

Are You Tired of Hawk Stories Yet?

    Hello out there in computer-land. How are you today?

Is anybody following my little saga about the hawk that was in my yard? I don't think it lives in the nest, so I had announced to the world that I intended to start feeding my birds again.

    Then, on a Sunday about two weeks ago, we were coming back from a ride with the dog.  I took her out of the car, and we went in the yard for a minute. I looked up, and I could see, up in the very high branches of the silver maples of the yard next door, not one, but TWO very super-size hawks, sitting side by side, like book-ends! You wouldn't believe it unless you saw it yourself. Way up there, basking, with the sun beaming on them. It was an impressive sight.

     I had to take the dog in quickly so I could get my camera out. Only one of them was left by the time I got back outside with my bigger Nikon, a minute or so later.  My Dad saw it fly away, and he said it looked like a red-tail.

    The other hawk stayed there about another five minutes, and I took several shot, which I will include here. I am impressed with his tallons, his fluffy chest, and his eyes-this one almost looked like he was happy, it doesn't have the super-serious look you usually see. You be the judge!

     I think I am going to email a picture to Mass Audobon and see if they can give me a positive ID on his species. I looked in the bird books, and can't be sure. I did see a documentary on PBS the other day about falconry, where they are feeding a red-tail some raw mice, and it had the same markings and eyes, so I'm thinking my Dad was right about it being a red tail.  Anyway, we've only seen one once since then. But we still have our cardinals, and I've been hearing more songbirds in the morning. That is encouraging, spring will be here soon!

    Here are the pictures!

Spinning off a new blog-fun with food!

     Hello again. Haven't written in awhile, because I've been so busy. But while I felt inspired, I launched a new blog the other day, and I called it "fun with food!" It's a takeoff on the name of our cooking groups at work.  The blog will cover all aspects of food- cooking, recipes, memories, etc.  You'll just have to read the first post for more details!

     Believe it or not, I had 53 page views on the first day! Makes me wonder if people stumbled upon it by accident!  Once I get started, I think it will be fun. The address for "fun with food" is www.kp-funwithfood.blogspot.com/  . Check it out!