Mark the Day!

It is always so exciting to see the first bee of the season (okay, I know not everyone feels this way, but for me, it's an exciting moment.). It was actually a pretty perfect day because a pair of bluebirds has been out in the yard most of the day, staking a claim on the nest box next to the patio.  At one point I walked out not realizing the male was perched on top of the box, and he just watched me walk across the patio while he continued singing.  Making me wonder if this is the same pair who nested here last spring?  He certainly wasn't fearful of me.  

But back to the bees... I was sitting on the rock wall that edges the garden next to our house when I heard buzzing.  Immediately I started swiveling my head in all directions trying to figure out where it was (probably looked like I was having a seizure).  The only thing blooming right now are my miniature iris...and sure enough, that's where the bee was.  I then walked down to my big garden where there are little patches of tiny iris and there were at least a half dozen honeybees there as well!  Honeybees are not native to the US but I still like seeing them.  It will need to get a bit warmer before the big native queen bumble bees come out of the ground - something to look forward to!

Spring is my favorite time of the year.  There is the promise of new growth, new life and everything just feels...hopeful.  Even though the calendar says spring isn't until next week, the birds have other ideas.  The spring symphony is starting now and it is magnificent.  This morning it was a chorus of house finches, cardinals, bluebirds, blackbirds, white throated sparrows, juncos and one song sparrow.  Even the chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches are tuning up, and the woodpeckers are starting to drum.  The only slight negative is that the bears will start coming out of their dens soon too.  

Jax is at daycare today, hopefully getting lots of play time with his girlfriend Sasha.  I love him to pieces (as you've no doubt guessed) but I do like having a dog-free day once a week.  And he enjoys it too.  

I opted for dark with orange, a yummy combo.

xo
Debbi