Experiencing Spring These Past Cold Mornings

I get up later, first waking up at my usual 5:30 a.m. time, but then burrowing under the blankets like the groundhog seeing its winter shadow. I catch another hour of sleep. The cold start ensures that I switch my breakfast of soft-boiled eggs to hot granola or oatmeal with a sprinkle of leftover Thanksgiving walnuts and a splash of Half and Half cream. Finally, my morning walk through the nearby hills is later and frequently ends up at a coffee shop to warm up.

Returning recently to my apartment from a morning walk, I found that Spring had invaded with its sights, sounds, and smell! The smell emanated from the paper-whites planted in the living room window box. While I had only bought the four robust bulbs from Bowood Nursery a month before, they had all burst into bloom. Their heady fragrance filled the room with the smell of Spring! 

Meanwhile, outside my paper-white garden, a flock of birds was squabbling and feasting on the red, ripe berries of an American holly tree. Robins, surely a harbinger of Spring, were everywhere! Flashes of orange and black darted in and out of the tree and I counted thirty in all.

Remembering that birds need water in cold weather as much as food, I moved the shallow, copper bird bath from the side-yard. I positioned it below the window with the paper-whites. For three days I enjoyed the robins eating their post-Thanksgiving meals.

While I was sad that the female holly was losing her Xmas berries a month early, I made a resolution. I vowed to also move the bird feeder to the front yard. I would keep it and the bird bath filled daily.

Tomorrow I head to O.K. Hatchery to buy 50 lbs of bird seed. Oh, and I may even buy another four paper-white bulbs for New Year forcing!