by Kat | Mar 2, 2026 | General, Welcome
‘March’ is a sharp word, brusque and bracing, like its month. ‘January’, ‘February’; they meander like rivers; ‘April’ is like the sound of raindrops on the windowpane; but ‘March’ is a gust of wind flinging grit. — Adrian Bell, A Countryman’s Spring Notebook
I read these words yesterday morning as the sun was just rising, welcoming the meteorological spring… and I am very eager for it. Of course, Mr. Bell’s beautiful words reminded me of other beautiful words… Maurice Sendak wrote of the March winds blowing in a door and spilling soup upon the floor… and the best part: Blowing once, blowing twice, blowing chicken soup with rice. Yes, bring on those March winds!
Yesterday, as if on queue, I watched the winds blow the delicate Snowdrops… their blossoms swaying on thin stems, yet they are sturdier than they look! Snowdrops, who straddle winter and spring in the very best way. Snow cannot defeat them, nor can the early March wind… they sway delicately as a few brave bees buzz around them. In my corner of the world, they are the earliest flower that offers something sweet to bees who wake after a winter’s slumber.
I recorded the return of the Red-winged Blackbirds last week at my feeders, the earliest I have ever seen them. They joined a trio of juncos searching for seeds in the still sleeping grass. A reminder that these two seasons, Winter and Spring, like to play a good game of tug of war before one relinquishes to the other. Yes that means a month where all the weather’s can happen… even summer takes a turn here in the south hills of Pittsburgh. (Yes, we have a forecast for temperatures in the 70’s [F] here this week, sigh.)
I spent most of the winter… wintering. It was a season that understood my grieving and settled in around me like a comforting blanket. Dark mornings where I could walk quietly in the silence. As January gave way to February, it seemed to me that the gradual increase in daylight was somehow timed to ease me out of that deep grief, I know it was not… but it felt as if the earth was very much a participant in my grief process. And now my early walks are not in dark (at least until we turn the clocks back next weekend, grrr) and it is no longer silent. I am accompanied by birdsong… Song Sparrows are the first to jump on the Spring is Coming Train… their melodious chorus is so loud! Robin’s soon join in and Carolina Wren’s as well.
I want to steep myself in spring as deeply as I did winter, except I know that won’t be as easy as I am imagining. Spring is a lot more everything happening all at once, everywhere, all at the same time… so don’t blink because you will miss it. So I am adjusting my schedule to make more space for the delight that is spring. A good schedule shake up is not always welcome, but I think it will be a very good thing so I can spend more time appreciating the wonders of March. Rilke writes frequently about this desire: want the change. I think there is some wisdom in that edict… change happens without our control, so rather than fighting change, I am contemplating how to be a Wanter of Change… and March is a very good month for that!
Yes, welcome March. I am so happy you are here!
by Kat | Jun 23, 2025 | General, In My Backyard
When spring came, even the false spring, there were no problems except where to be happiest. The only thing that could spoil a day was people and if you could keep from making engagements, each day had no limits. People were always the limiters of happiness except for the very few that were as good as spring itself. — Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast
If ever there was the quintessential quote for my spring… this is it! I really focused on savoring every spring day and, for the most part, those days were delightful… rain or shine!
Most notably… it was a very wet spring. The Pittsburgh area got over 15 inches of rain… so much rain. (I think the south hills of Pittsburgh had a bit more rain that 15 inches, but I will go with the “official totals”) We were at a precipitation deficit and all that rain was very much needed! (and my lush, green, growing way to fast lawn agrees!)
Things that really worked this spring… the daffodils! The Colossal Daffs that I planted two years ago really put on a show this year! The 8 bulbs that overwintered again put out over 20 flowers! The new bulbs I planted last fall also liked the spot I chose for them… their sunny faces brightened up a bland corner of my garden! However…. the daffodil bulbs that I planted for naturalizing two years ago were an entire bust without a single bloom at all. (but a huge thanks to Carole for sharing the image of her braided daffodil greens and while I did not manage to braid them, I did twist the greens up and around themselves as I wait for the foliage to send back all their goodness to the bulbs!)
Waiting for those greens to all turn yellow…
The alliums also had a banner year! They must love long, wet, cold springs… because they bloomed forever!
I noted the first dandelion bloomed in my yard on March 28, just in time to welcome spring! I love those first dandelion blooms nestled in the grass… the stem not shooting up until the flower had changed to seeds.
The birds have been magnificent this spring! A pair of nesting Carolina Wren’s have taken up residence in a birdhouse that has never been of interest to any bird! And last year, I put out an Oriole feeder but never got a single Oriole visitor to it… however, persistence pays off because this spring…The Oriole’s Arrived! Yes, we have one pair that must be nesting nearby. I have yet to spot their nest on my walks with Frankie but I see them regularly at the feeder. They are a delight to my eyes and ears!
Just under the wire… mulch arrived on the last full day of spring (just in time for the massive Heat-a-thon!)
Now we begin with the “limiters of happiness” portion of my post… the people (and animals!!) Last year a neighbor sprayed something that got on our forsythia and rose bushes. One forsythia bush died and the two others have significant damage so there were few blooms this year. The roses also have succumbed to whatever she sprayed. This neighbor is an absolute pain in my neck and if she decided to move, I’d help her pack. Fortunately, she is gone most of the time… however, when she is home… she is always spraying some crap on something. This area needs an entire reworking (and possibly a solid fence if I could get the township to agree!)
I have two other neighbors that are likely the reason the reason that Templeton the Rat has taken up residence. Yes, I have one solitary rat that I see on the regular. Sigh. One neighbor has a compost bin that is poorly managed… I see Templeton there all the time. (And I smell the compost bin as well as it is right outside the kitchen door.) However, he must have made his home in a very neatly stacked cord of wood in another neighbors yard. The rat runs back and forth across my open, tree-free back yard hoping for a few untidy birds dropping seeds in my yard while he scavenges my neighbors compost bin. I keep hoping that all this running back and forth in the open will shorten Templeton’s life… at least I live in hope. He is the reason I stopped putting out suet and moved bird feeders and invested in squirrel baffles.
Well, Rocky Raccoon might have also played a role in those decisions as well. Yes, one night a raccoon got very angry there was no seed in our Bird Buddy and in the battle between the raccoon and the 3-d printed Bird Buddy… Rocky won. Steve has it MacGyvered together, but its days are numbered.
The wildlife decimated my tulips and crocus. I probably should just dig up the bulbs and plant something else.
The last thing that has been a bust was my spring journaling in Leaf, Cloud, Crow… I have not kept up with my weekly posts there, preferring to “keep it simple” and incorporating my observations in my daily journal.
Now, for a quick reminder… OLW people! We will be sharing our June Update next Monday (yes, most appropriately the last day of June!) The link up will be up early on the 30th and will remain open for the week! I am excited to see how all of you did this month!
See you all back here on Wednesday!
Header photo by Pixabay
by Kat | Jun 14, 2024 | General, In My Backyard
That is one good thing about this world…there are always sure to be more springs.
— L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea
Today is the final Friday in spring and even though it feels more like summer outside today, it has been a most glorious spring! One thing a Year of Time has done for me is to give me a better awareness to “be in the day” versus jumping ahead to the days that are not yet here. I am more than a little sad to move on from spring, but Montgomery’s reminder is a good on for me… there will be more springs!
Way back in February, we got a Bird Buddy bird feeder. At the beginning, I laughed at the squirrel antics, but that soon changed… and those dratted squirrels got so bad that we took Bird Buddy down while I contemplated solutions. Those squirrels were cleaning out my feeder in short order and then they began chewing the feeder. Big chunks of the feeder. Spicy seeds did not stop them.
But Etsy to the rescue… I purchased some 3-D printed “sides” and some “stick holders” and with a couple of sticks, a bit of wire, and I have outsmarted those squirrels… at least this week! On the bright side, the woodpeckers love the new “branches” and they are now very regular visitors! (For those interested, I got the fence sides here and the perch with suet holder here.)
Last November, I planted a plethora of bulbs… most were successful, the crocus… not so much. Apparently bunnies don’t like white crocus though because they did bloom! I was stunned that the deer did not eat the tulips! Those damned squirrels on the other hand… All the daffodils did amazingly well and I am planning to purchase more bulbs this fall! The early spring alliums were just stunning as well! Tall, stately, and they drew hummingbirds like mad! And thank goodness for a sea of yellow dandelion’s that our backyard is for those early spring bees!
I did, finally, go and get my hair cut as well. At first, it was hard to “do” but soon my minute hair abilities kicked in and I found I really loved the “just brushing my shoulder” length! I also got new glasses (with all three visions… trifocals FTW!)
This year, as part of my time contemplation, I have been taking photos of each full moon. Nothing fancy, just a snap with my iPhone. Spring had three full moons: Worm Moon in March, Pink Moon, in April, and Flower Moon in May. Cloudy skies and rain kept me from getting May’s moon at full… but I managed to get an early morning picture of that waning gibbous Flower Moon!
I am getting very good at “making do” and last year I implemented to “ground level” bird baths out of repurposed garbage can lids. This year, thanks to an Amazon Deal of the Day, they got a bit of an upgrade! And the birds LOVE them! We have a couple of Fish Crows that come regularly and chatter away as they splash about! And when the Mourning Doves come en masse, it is so funny to watch them wait “in line” for their turn.
We had some things that were not captured in photo or video. The robins who nested in our bushes (not the wisest choice) laid four eggs… but soon there were only two eggs. Those eggs hatched but one baby did not survive a wild storm and sadly a few days later the remaining chick became a casualty of the neighbors cat. Not a good outcome for the robins, but I hope they learned that those bushes are not good for a nest! We see deer frequently in our neighborhood but over the course of May it seemed there was evidence of a deer bedding down in our yard… well, not only was she bedding down, she gave birth and hid the wee fawn in the bushes. I have also seen a few “baby bunnies” hopping around our yard! They love the bird bath and I see them frequently getting a drink! We also had a great view of the eclipse! But perhaps the greatest delight has been the family of Red-bellied Woodpeckers… Dad, Mom, and two adorable babies! Dad brought them to the feeders a couple of weeks ago. At the beginning, the babies stayed on the tree and dad would bring them suet but they have graduated to “self-feeding” and are so fun to watch!
There was a trip to Erie (which is always so delightful!) and so many beautiful sunsets! But the Aurora Borealis in the South Hills of Pittsburgh is something I will delight in for years to come! Perhaps the biggest thing was that I got hearing aids! Yes, this is me fresh from the audiologist… hearing all the things!
Finally, this spring was SO good for Sherman! He has gotten his third Librela shot and the results are nothing short of miraculous!
What about you? How was your spring?
Have a great weekend everyone, see you all back here on Monday!
by Kat | Mar 20, 2023 | General
It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.
― Rainer Maria Rilke
It has been a March of All The Weather… we have had very warm days (72° F on the first!!), some very cold days (a low of 18° F over the weekend, sigh), winds, rain, snow, more winds… and this morning clear skies and sunshine!
But despite all this indecisive weather… I can see leaves beginning on the bushes in our yard, the forsythia have some flowers, my neighbors daffodils are blooming (and stunningly the deer have yet to eat them!), and the maple tree in our front yard is full of “red flowers” that are the harbingers to Helicopter Season! And today I welcome spring! (and I am so very ready for it!)
I also am happy to say that taxes are “done and dusted”… whew! Of course, we owe… but it is such a trifling amount, I can’t even be upset about it!
I had some follow up bloodwork on Saturday… and the results were stunning. My cholesterol dropped 70 points in just six weeks! Thank you, Lipitor™!! Honestly, I am stunned by how quickly that little pill has made a difference… and this morning I am so grateful for the scientists who make life better!
I began the picking up of stitches on the neck of my handspun sweater… it was rather grand, I picked up *the correct number of stitches* the first time! I know. What?!? I am at the three-inch-mark of ribbing and I will put the stitches on yarn and try it on this morning to see what I think about the length… soon after I will be back on Sleeve Island! I could not be happier with this sweater. The yarn gives me such delight as I knit away.
I also raced past the heel turn on Steve’s Pi Sock… and I am in the “straight-away to the toes” which is still a good bit of knitting.
So… all in all, it was a very celebratory and productive weekend! Now I have a bit of homework to get done… the Penultimate Painting for the first day of Spring… it is one giant sea of green… but the real challenge lies in my ability to create the exact shade of green…it is vivid, oy!
See you all back here on Wednesday!
by Kat | May 1, 2020 | General
Sweet May hath come to love us, flowers, trees, their blossoms don; And through the blue heavens above us, the very clouds move on. — Heinrich Heine
While March was eons long, April has just sprinted on by – hasn’t it? I guess when each day is the same as the last, at first they seem to drag and then they pick up speed!
May, I hope you do come to love us with more sunny days, mild weather, and some patio happy hours!
I spent more time this week outside with the big camera, practicing more! Better? Maybe not so much, but I enjoyed every moment and was inspired to keep trying! And May ushers in Macro May!! Look for more photos during the month! We had a very rainy April (only 12 days without any precipitation) but grey days are perfect for taking photos! And getting outdoors after the rain and capturing it dripping off the lilacs made the volumes of rain *almost* worth it! Ha!!
I don’t know how many of you use Nextdoor (I use the app on my phone), but over the last week or so there has been an uptick in people women in my neighborhood trying to find a hairdresser who would break the rules to cut and/or color their hair. I was happy to see that these posts have been met with no success (or at least no one openly offers in the post to provide these services). And then Julia Farwell-Clay posted this on IG! I just want to ROAR with her with my own Badger-striped hair!
My new Twitter Daily Chuckle (or two!) is Rate My Skype Room!
I was thrilled to see that Joy Harjo was named Poet Laureate again! And through her I discovered The Poetry of Home! You can listen to Joy read Perhaps the World Ends Here. You should listen to all the installments! They are just wonderful! You will find Robert Pinsky, Juan Felipe Herrera, and Natasha Trethewey. Each installment is just perfect for these “stay at home” days.
And The Poetry of Home is just the inspiration I needed to gather some yarn bits to start Susan B. Anderson’s Little House pattern that Kym highlighted this week. My plan is to make one for each of my children with a little Pandemic Tag on it, but I think I will also include the words of a poem too! (FYI, Little House pattern is currently discounted…so if you are thinking about it, don’t think too much longer!)
Mary is a voracious knitter and I think I found her next sweater to devour! And the Ravelry Hive Mind must all be of the same thought because this sweater from 2017 is in my “Hot Right Now Top 20”!
Want something to stir your sock mojo? These beauties are perfect for spring (AND FREE!!)
And there you have it, dear friends – Happy May to you all! See you back here on Monday!
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