Summer is Here

Officially summer doesn’t arrive until June 21 but unofficially it’s here.

I am finally warm. I can go outside and feel the heat of the sun seeping through my skin and right into my bones. I feel completely relaxed, flittering from one activity to another – going high on the swings, flipping over on the monkey bars, watching my son play in his new mini pool, going for a walk and throwing stones in the lake.

We are eating watermelon and spraying bugs with the hose. We are planting our vegetable garden and hanging clothes on the line. We are watching robins build nests and orioles and hummingbirds emptying our feeders.

I am counting down the days until summer driving season and weekends full of fun plans.

Welcome warm weather.

Welcome Back

It must be spring.

I heard a familiar bird song last weekend. I thought it was the music of the Baltimore oriole, which usually makes an appearance around this time of year, but couldn’t be sure as even its bright orange plumage couldn’t be seen at a distance.

While going for a walk with my son on Friday, I listened again. An experienced birder or someone with a good ear for music could probably pick the oriole’s melody out immediately, but I always get it confused with the robin.

Listening closely, I thought my colourful companions must be back.

When I got home, I washed my hummingbird and oriole feeders and hung them on the shepherd’s hook outside our windows.

The hummingbird came first, followed closely by both the male and female Baltimore orioles.
For the sake of honesty, these pictures weren’t taken this year. But I would guess that if the birds in these pictures aren’t the same creatures, they are certainly their relations.

Welcome back.

Welcome back spring.