Just when I was getting really, really, really sick of wintry weather, I awoke to find something absolutely breathtaking on the windshield of my car.
I shot the photo with Mark’s point-and-shoot camera before sitting in my car for a moment to contemplate things. I was at once bummed that I had to scrape the window and go about my day because it seemed a crime to damage such unique art. But then I was overcome with the thought that I was scarping the bloody windshield for the umpteenth time this year, and it’s the end of March for crying out loud. Enough cold weather already!
The other thing that really bothered me as I sat in my car this morning was that a week ago Saturday it got to almost 50 degrees. That’s like almost warm, and a whole lot warmer than it’s been recently. A week ago Saturday was when stepkid #1, Willi, showed up with her fiancé, Brian, and we dragged them off to Lake Lansing Park to show Brian some of our favorite frog ponds. I mean, if the guy can’t handle some quality family time at a frog pond, surely he shouldn’t be marrying our Willi.
So off we went, tromping down the trail, and just as we were about to veer off the path towards the first pond, we found this fella.
After gently placing the snake back on the forest floor and wishing it well, we went to the ponds where, much to my pleasure, Brian found a salamander in the water. He was hanging out near an equally cold looking wood frog. But here’s the thing. It got warm enough a week ago for all these critters to come out.
We also saw a butterfly which I later learned is a mourning cloak. I’m not sure what it could possibly have been mourning on such a lovely 50-degree, sunny spring day, except for the fact that I chased it around for five minutes trying to get a better photo. I think it used its self-cloaking device to disappear on me.
- Mourning cloak butterfly.
On the way home, I was supposed to be driving and all, but I looked up and saw this giant bird taking to the air. It’s an immature bald eagle and I know this because he didn’t send his regards before flying off.
As I photographed this gallant bird–oh, after stopping the car, of course–I noticed that Brian was the only other person that had gotten out of the car, which is why it’s okay for Brian to marry Willi after all.
We went home, chatted for a while, and after Willi and Brian left, I went outside to the water’s edge. As I was on the verge of solving some of the great problems of the universe, I was interrupted by this fella above me.
I’ve heard the song of the red-wing blackbird every spring for years now, but I’ve never seen one puff his feathers up like this. And I have to say, I was happy when he flew away, feathers intact.
Later, I looked out to see this character sitting in a tree right outside my very dirty window. You remember the window we tried to replace without success? I hate that window, but thought this fella quite cute.
So take note, everyone who is sick of scraping windows in the morning, the days of ducks walking on ice are behind us.
The lakes and ponds around me are open, the snow piles are melted for the most part, and the only white stuff we should be seeing from now on is from guys like this one.
So I say as I anticipate once again having to scrape my windshield in the morning. Better take a camera in case I’m blessed with another icy masterpiece.