Vernal Pool!

I finally made it up there!  Yes!  Go Carol Go.  I was completely out of breath and I fell only 1x!  LOL There were tons of egg masses and some of the wood frogs have already hatched out!  So great to be up in one of my favorite places on earth.  Best thing of all.....NYS now has someone who is starting a data base for all the pools in the state!  The NY Natural Heritage Program wants to assess vernal pool distribution and characterize pool diversity statewide. I'm in!

Rain

I've always loved walking in the rain.  For one thing, you usually have the trails to yourself, few people are out and about while it's raining.  It is so peaceful and quiet, and the world smells like heaven. 

We are having a glorious Spring.  So many flowers came up in my gardens. All the trees are covered with blooms and the leaves are all popping.  I am blessed to be here and witness all this glory. I have 40-50 Goldfinches eating me out of house and home.  I still have not seen a Hummingbird and my Grosbeaks have not returned either.  I eagerly look forward to seeing all our returning birds.  There is noting like a gorgeous bird to make your heart sing. 

Something that is driving me crazy lately, is how many people take their healthy lives for granted.  So many want days to be over and to get to the weekend or the vacation or the next good thing on their list.  They complain about such silly things.  They don't realize how precious each day they are given is. There are no guarantees that you will wake up tomorrow.   I'm at a point in my life that each day is a precious gift.  Even each breathe I take is a miracle.   I can only live today as I don't know when I'm going to go down hill. I feel like crap 24/7 and yet I get up and LIVE for today.  I am still out there looking for birds and trying to see as much of natures beauty as I can.  I am able to spend quality time with friends and family.  I am able to eat and enjoy food, which is rare for long time chemo patients like myself.  I am fortunate to have lived and done what I've wanted for the last couple of decades, I didn't wait for retirement.  I have an amazingly supportive husband who has always let me be me. I've lived my bucket list.   I guess my strong connection to my own soul prepared me for what I'd be facing at this point in my life.   

Nature

All my life through, the new sights of Nature made me rejoice like a child.  Marie Curie

I love the Spring and I'm so glad I am here to see all it's spender.  I never get tired of each precious miracle that Nature has to offer me.  On the home front, most of my "Winter" birds are gone.  I have about 40-50 Goldfinch eating me out of house and home. They make my heart sing, such cheerful pretty birds, but aren't they all?!  My cardinal "flock" has dispersed.  Males have gotten very territorial. I still have a pair of Mallards coming to the pond at least once a day.  I had a single female Purple finch.  Toads have been in the pond singing their little hearts out.  Chipping Sparrows have returned.  I've seen Prairie and YR Warblers. All my bulbs came up for the first time ever.  It's so wonderful to be alive to experience it all!  

Great Blue Heron

This incredibly gorgeous bird was outside my moms home down in Punta Gorda.  I've never been that close to a GB Heron.  I was blown away by his feathers.  There are a lot of birds that come to visit, they are habituated to being fed by humans.  Not the best thing to do for the birds.  But....I did enjoy my close looks of these amazing birds. 

Spotted Salamander Eggs

 

I went for a walk at the new house and came across a Spotted Salamander Egg mass in one of the seasonal streams.  It warmed my heart.  I feel like I'm missing this entire Spring due to my current condition.  I really have to try and enjoy each special moment.  Trout lily are in bloom all over the land, and skunk cabbage all have leaves already.  It's all going to unfold lightening quick now.  

FL

As always lots of great birds down in FL.  I love all the herons and wading birds.  At my moms house all day long the birds come and go.  They are fun to watch.  I've never seen so many osprey, they were everywhere, even far from the water using man made nesting poles. 

Family vacation

After what happened last month, my entire family decided that we all needed to take a vacation together.  We went to my moms down in Punta Gorda FL.  Her place is on the water, looking at Mangroves, lots of birds there constantly.  I was able to watch Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Little Blue Herons, G.Blue Herons, Great Egrets hunting right from my moms house.  We all had a wonderful time together.  I love my family so much. 

YES!

After a month of being too sick to even walk, I got outside and was handsomely rewarded!  F3 was out sunning.  She is in amazing condition.  It was a gorgeous 60 degree day.  The water level is very high. 

Little ones

Still so grateful that these two spent the Winter with me.  It's getting close to release time.  Its been a privilege to have them here.