Is It Spring Yet????????????????????????

          Yes, it must be spring.  It is just the beginning of March, but all the signs are appearing.

          We have 2 bluebird boxes on our fence posts that we can see from the house. Bluebirds are back and checking out the boxes.  The Tree Swallows haven't made an appearance yet, but they will be coming.  Then there are usually fights over the bird houses - both Bluebirds and Swallows want the same one.  The boxes are just alike, but they don't seem to think so.  Sooner or later they get it straightened out, Bluebirds in one and Tree Swallows in the other.

          The Turkey Buzzards are also back.  They are ugly as can be, but are our clean-up crew, so-to-speak.  I have also seen Robins running around in the yard.

          We are seeing the deer less and less - it is also their mating time, in a while we will hardly see any at all except for the bucks, then next thing you know you will see the does and with them will be their spotted young.  We can see the baby deer anytime from late April through the early part of June.  All those little Bambi's running around.

          Turkeys are different.  We are seeing more and more of them at this time, the gobblers romancing the hens, trying to make them think he is absolutely beautiful. 

          Wild turkeys are not beautiful.  They lumber around on the ground, looking as if they are going to fall over any time.  They can be strung out in a line of 15 - 20 at a time, nipping here, grabbing something there, just eating their way across the farm.  They really are goofy looking.

          But for a short period of time the gobblers look good.  This is when they fan out their tails, showing the girls how handsome they really are.  Of course the girls all play hard to get.  It is really funny to watch them.  And we have a lot of turkeys on the farm.

          This picture was taken in the evening from our dining room window.  You can see how ungainly they look, but boy, Mr. Gobbler looks good.  How can you pass him up.  But the hens are doing an excellent job of ignoring him.  He will spend much time strutting, like the cave man thumping his chest, trying to make the hens believe he is completely irresistible.  Good luck Mr. G.

          A few weeks from now we will begin to see baby rabbits, baby groundhogs, sometimes  baby squirrels and raccoons.  We have even seen a mother skunk walking along with her little black and white striped babies following behind.

          So, I guess the answer is "Yes, it is spring".  We will still have some bad weather, but spring isn't too far down the road.  Until then, enjoy the nice days when they appear, sleep through the bad days, and waken up to spring.  God Bless.