A Day in March

Springtime - almost!  

It was one of those unsettled March days with a good brisk wind and clouds scuttling across the sky, allowing the sunshine to peek out now and again. 

My view from the kitchen window encouraged me to hurry with my chores so I could get outside and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. 

I never managed to cook the corned beef and cabbage dinner I planned for St. Patrick's Day, so today I prepared that for the crock pot. 

Won't 'The Mr.' be surprised when he comes home tonight! 

I had such a headache yesterday, I didn't feel like doing much. 

He will be happy to see that I feel better today and he won't miss out on our St. Paddy's Day tradition. 

We are both half Irish. 

My Great Grandfather came from County Cork, Ireland. 

And his Great Grandfather did too! 

Maybe they knew each other! 

So there it is, simmering away, filling the house with wonderful, homey smells. 

We had so many Irish traditions growing up. 

I can remember reading 'Angela's Ashes' and feeling such a familiarity with the little 'sayings'. 

All things I heard growing up from my Grandparents. 

They emigrated to South Boston in the 1920's. 

A big Irish community. 

Eventually moving to the country, 30 miles south. 

We had so many Irish names in our classrooms. 

McCarthy, McClellan, McCoy, every name under the Irish sun. 

Families were large and very close. 

We went to Irish Dance Recitals, Sunday School, St. Patrick Day parades, and cheered on the Celtics.

We had freckles and blue eyes, and every family had at least one redhead. 

I think of these things as I go about my day. 

The wind is blowing the chimes outside. 

Such a lovely sound. 

I hurry to finish up my chores to go outside and listen. 

The birds are happy today, too, and I can hear them twittering and calling to one another. 

There are no sweeter sounds than wind, and chimes, and singing birds on a sunny day. 

I have some Iris bulbs to pot up and that keeps me busy. 

This one little bag gives me enough bulbs to pot up 6 large pots. 

They will be so pretty in early summer when they bloom. 

A lovely reward for very little effort. 

I also re-pot these lovely double primroses - a gift from a Dear Friend, along with the pretty purple gardening gloves. 

She came to visit last week. 

We spent the day stitching after sharing lunch together. 

I worked on some embroidery, she crocheted some tiny booties for a baby shower. 

But I do think we did more gabbing than stitching! 

I think of our lovely day together as I pot up her sweet gift. 

Maggie supervises, taking a break to drink out of the saucer of water I keep filled for the birds. 

I enjoy my time in the sunshine, as the forecast is for a big storm to hit by Wednesday with heavy rain and strong winds. 

The first day of Spring! 

Can you see me in the gazing ball? 

A gift from my Dear Mother years ago. 

My early daffodils are still blooming down in the back corner, but it is a little too cool to sit and enjoy them. 

So I am content to view them from the deck. 

As I zoom my camera in, the source of the cold wind becomes apparent. 

We've had freshly fallen snow in the foothills over the weekend. 

As I finish up my potting, I hear the buzz of this little sweetheart, a female Anna's Hummingbird. I now have two varieties of Hummingbirds coming to the feeders. The Anna Hummingbirds that have wintered over, and now the smaller and more colorful Rufous Hummingbirds have arrived, which are the smallest birds in the state. 

Rufous Hummingbirds

They arrive just as the Indian Plum trees start to bloom. A favorite nectar flower. 

These are native under-story trees that are the first to bloom. They don't get very tall, but are filled with long pendulous white blossoms which will turn into tiny plums that are a favorite of birds and wildlife.

This one is growing right in the back yard.

Here you can see the blooms, back lit by the late afternoon sun. 

We encourage native plants and I have kept this one watered during our long summer drought last year.

I've added my little Anna's Hummingbird visitor to my nature journal. 

Now that Spring is nearly here, I will be adding the Rufous, too. 

But that will have to wait for another day. 

The sun is low in the sky now and the cool wind drives me back inside for a warm cup of coffee. 

I leave Maggie to keep watch as I warm by the fire, still burning in the woodstove. 

I've enjoyed my day. 

Thank you for sharing it with me. 

And thank you for all of your sweet comments. 

They mean so much to me. 

I love when you come to visit! 

xoxo