Dear Kid,

Today is Draw a Bird Day.

I don’t know why, but it is.

Rodney the Bird Outside Our Window offered to pose for a picture, but between my (lack of) artistic talent and his demoralized attitude, I decided it might not be a good experience for him.

The most famous of all bird-drawers is probably John James Audubon (shown in a photo on Wikipedia holding a rifle which is probably not how most people think of him). JJ went out into Nature to identify and paint birds so that he could have a society named after him.

My second favorite bird drawer is probably Charley Harper (first favorite is you when you were about 4 and drew me a picture that had a bird in it). Charley Harper went into Nature wearing a pair of 5D glasses and drew what he saw. He lived in Cincinnati which is another thing that’s good about Our City.

Still up there in the Excellent Bird Drawing category is the little guy from Are You My Mother?

And all the birds Dr. Seuss drew (none of which were ever spotted by John James A.).

Despite my best efforts to learn absolutely nothing about birds (what can I say? I was a rebellious twit), I love watching avian life in our backyard. I filled the birdfeeders over the weekend and the cardinal (significantly more dimensional than Charley’s version), the woodpeckers, flickers, chickadees, and other flying folk are having a marvelous time filling up at the buffet. The chipmunk family (did I tell you a family of chipmunks has moved in?) and squirrels are happily picking up whatever falls uneaten, and the rabbit is barreling through like he owns the place, checking on tables but not eating anything himself.

Spring is here.

Happy Draw a Bird Day.

Love, Mom

Dear Kid,

Today is National Pull Up Weeds Day. Actually, it isn’t, but that’s what Dad and I are going to spend a great deal of the day doing, so it might as well be. Since we are exceptional weed growers (no, not that kind of weed; the kind of weed that doesn’t belong where it’s growing), this will not be a one-and-done activity. Unfortunately.

Yesterday, the Puppy had a (very badly needed) bath. Following Dad’s rule of “At Least 12 Hours Before He Can Roll In Something Stinky”, he was confined to a leash with a person at the other end of it. Today he will be allowed to roam around and roll in the grass and have a marvelous time being a dog.

I have no doubt he will re-stink himself.

In other news, it might actually be Spring, although what with this being Southwest Ohio, I don’t want to overcommit.

The crocuses are up (yay), the hyacinth is up (yay), the tulips are having a cup of coffee and considering blooming (yay), and the weeds are rushing to be the first to take up residence (see Pulling Up Weeds).

The birds are starting to wear their spring finery. We have a blue jay who has been hanging out in the backyard busily expressing his views on Life; I’m not sure if I agree with everything he has to say, but his outfit is smashing.

The woodpeckers are out and pecking. Dad’s been busy watching them and identifying each specie. As long as they stick to trees and telephone poles that aren’t near our house, he thinks they are marvelous.

Our across the street neighbors are moving. No, not those ones, the ones to the right in The House That Can’t Keep Anyone More Than 5 Years. I believe new people move in sometime in April. Welcome to the neighborhood, new people.

Time to go pull on some gardening gloves and attack the invaders.

To all those celebrating, Happy Easter.

Love, Mom

Dear Kid,

Welcome to Spring.

Ha.

Yesterday in Pittsburgh I wore a T-shirt, a long sleeve shirt, a wool sweater, and my down jacket. And my Serious Mittens to clear the ice and snow off the car.

Ice. And. Snow.

Which part of spring includes ice and snow?

Which part of spring includes 42 layers of clothing?

Which part of spring includes snowboots and scarves and mittens?

Of course today is going to be about 112 degrees. Which makes no sense either.

Dear Mother Nature,

A little common sense would be helpful.

Meanwhile, the crocuses have bloomed, the hyacinth are flowering, the tulips are exploring moving in to a condominium, and the little purple flowers that I can’t remember the name of are singing tra-la! (except for the one that have been eaten by the rabbits).

All of which means that Spring is here (tra-la) and sunshine can’t be far behind.

Hoping you have a happy (and warmish) day.

Love, Mom

Dear Kid,

Spring has arrived in Cincinnati. I know this because

1. It’s warm enough outside to go for a walk without a jacket
2. Stores are showing Spring clothes
3. The crocuses are out!

I love crocuses. Partly because I really like those little guys, but mostly because they chirp “Spring is here!”

Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!”  ~Robin Williams

Can flowers chirp? I don’t know why not. Writers talking about flowers screaming in bright summer colors, or whispering their final secrets in the fall. I’m good with chirping crocuses.

Earth laughs in flowers. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pretty soon, not only will we have warm sun and happy crocuses, we’ll have buds on trees, and dinner on the porch, and our lawn will turn from the dead-brown of winter into something lush and green.

And by “something” I mean “weed-filled.”

I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers. ~Claude Monet

I know that spring also means allergies and rain and mud and eventually August heat, but right now it’s easy to forget about all that.

And to just smile back at the crocuses.

Love, Mom

Dear Kid,

Spring in southern Ohio has multiple personalities.

You can find the soft, delicate, pastel Spring ushering in gently blooming buds and vibrant tulips. And you can count on that Spring to last at least 10 minutes.

Another Spring personality comes with pollen, launched with military precision at anyone who wanders outdoors. There are not enough antihistamines in the world to successfully combat Spring in southern Ohio.

Then there is the Stormy personality. Do not, my friend, imagine gentle April showers awakening the soil for May flowers. These are violent, LOOK AT ME NOW storms bringing tornadoes, ensuring job security for weather people, sending tree branches earthward, and knocking out power wherever possible. These are storms that create flooding and snarl traffic (although to be fair, six raindrops will snarl traffic in this area).

The sun has its own set of multiple personalities during April. Some days it will hide and sulk, casting the minimum amount of light it can get away with. Other days it shines brightly, the cool weather hiding the burn that will show up on everyone’s face by dinner.

Speaking of temperature, the range in southern Ohio in the Spring is from polar vortex to heat wave—sometimes in the same day. It makes it hard to figure out what to wear. Fortunately, the layered look is popular. At least in southern Ohio in the Spring.

Love, Mom

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