Now that the political signs have bloomed and withered in the great state of Ohio, the other signs of spring have returned. For the past two weeks the hawks have been passing through. I've seen Redtail, Marsh, and Sharps hawks on the wing and perched by the roadside waiting for someone to hit their dinner. The redwing blackbirds have also been back for a week or two, but yesterday I heard them start their electrical buzz of courting songs. And on Sunday I saw the first turkey vulture (aka buzzard to us in NE Ohio). This Sunday is when the buzzards return to Hinkley (or at least the pancake breakfast fundraisers for it).
I've been hearing robin song all winter long (robins don't migrate, but follow their food sources to the deep woods, since it wasn't so cold this year, they didn't move very far). And my grass didn't die back as hard (note to self, if somewhat dry this weekend, I should go out and rake the rest of the leaves off the lawn before they create dead spots).
This morning I noticed a lot of field have been disced already. There was water in the fallows, so I don't think they'll be planning right away, but the farmers are getting ready. Last year many of them couldn't get their crops in because of the rain. I suspect they'll put them in the first chance they get (and risk a freeze).
I haven't noticed any of the flowers popping out yet, but then I haven't looked very hard. And now that it's getting warmer it's time to start gearing up for the house improvement projects of this year. On deck is adding solar tubes to the living room ceiling (we don't have a southern facing window, so the main room is dark even in bright daylight, it's time to remedy that). I'll be putting in two 14" tubes and we'll see how much light that lets in. And I have to finish taking out the cement pad out back and put in the stone (ie. brick) patio. I'm also thinking of putting in crushed stone walkways to the composting heaps and the shed. I'm going to have to get a lot of stone delivered, might as well double the order and get those two projects out of the way and only pay one delivery charge.
So what's on your plate this Spring?
2 comments:
Projects: More bookcases in the library/guest bedroom. A raised bed or two in the garden. Get my handyman to fix some random electrical and plumbing projects I'm never going to actually get to (and which would take me four times as long if I did), thereby preserving my time for the home improvement projects I think are fun.
Also, it looks like two major appliances this spring/summer.
Phiala,that sounds like a full plate. I'm also hoping to get a raised bed set up this spring. I've had the wood since last year. And I'd also like to get a new washer/dryer (front loading) and oven/stove (our was what we could afford at the time and really needs to be updated). So far I haven't been able to convince the Mrs.
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