Is Spring Nearly Around Coward's Corner?

I have seen teasing signs and tidbits of spring in our neck of the woods at Coward's corner!

1. About two weeks ago we saw geese heading NORTH. Are they confused or is spring early? If confused, is it due to global warming? Just a thought, these days every abnormal event is attributed to the global warming phenomenon.

2. A yellow crocus has bloomed and faded. The purple crocus have yet to show their royalty.

3. The spring bulbs are shooting up greenery preceding their color explosion of reds, yellows, whites.

4. Along with the spring bulbs' greenery bursting forth, so are the ignominious thick green spikes, the spring forerunner of the late summer blooming Naked Ladies.

5. The blustering wind is howling as if trying to usher in March, come Monday! If the spring or summer has copious rainfall, mushrooms surprise us, especially this red one, looking like a sugar cookie with red icing!

6. Luckie is shedding her winter coat even though our temperatures are averaging 32 degrees. Friday the housecleaner emptied the Bissell reservoir twice; it was packed with dog hair.

7. My casting arm is itching to move in my awkward casting motion like a phantom shadow boxer. Muscle cramps may be the only reality until spring brings warmer temperatures.

8. I am looking longingly to new spring clothes calling me. Since I've lost a little weight I need a few replacements as my old duds are beginning to slip and slide a bit daringly.

9. My forsythias are about to burst up on the scene in their golden glory.

10. It is nearly time for the redbud trees to paint pastel subdued reddish haze on the hills.

11. My nose, eyes and ears are itching--a sign spring pollen is drifting in from somewhere.

11. Lent and Easter are early this year.

12. We started spring housecleaning early by employing a housecleaner.

13. Soon, the Dogwoods will bloom heralding in Easter with their Legend of the Dogwood; Dogwoods blooming are a sign the crappie are spawning. Yeah, we have a few traditions we claim as Ozark hillbilly indicators of the seasons.

14. Husband is tuning up the riding lawn tractor, another omen of spring. Somehow the steering wheel is broken. He said the tractor had a wreck, no details provided. Not sure if this was a self inflicted wound like runaway tractor, or if a two legged creature was practicing for a tractor rally. We have a local annual lawn tractor competition. It is life in the Ozarks.

15. Above all else the various species of fish are moving to the shallows for the annual ritual of spawning. This is the best time to catch fish in a deep clear water lake!!!

Oops! I just remembered one of the old wives's tales. Thunder in February, frost in April. Among all our unusual abundance of snow, was also thunder, even snow thunder.

Bring it on! Spring!!!



Photos:
1. Yellow Crocus
2. Purple Crocus
3. Red Toadstool Mushroom
4. Dogwoods
5. Husband on half-sister's tractor [his Sears tractor is about 1/3 that size!]
6. Our fishing boat
(Photos 1,2, 3 &4 made with my 1st old Kodak 2 megapixel camera; 5 & 6 -Nikon D50)