MRS. PURPLE FINCH has a MAY DAY

 Yesterday was a good day to sit on the grass. Yes, I said sit. Unbelievable afternoon. Some of the female purple finches are sooo tame. This one always toddles around my boots .She takes seeds from me. Friendly. Tame. Mrs. Purple Finch I call her. I asked a good friend about identifying here. She is happy. Stuffed with seeds. They all seem happy.

 I watch them for a  while, and they hop over the deer poop jelly beans , that I'm scooping up, to throw on the garden beds. Not afraid of me. Likes to flutter onto my garden boots and peep. Amazing. Does wonders  for the January blahs.

 In the distance  Mt. Washington is covered in snow. Not as much as previous years. But in the morning shines pink in the sunrise.  Like a huge snow cone.

                                        

 There is ice overnight. Frost. It melts on the tree branches. Makes droplets appear like diamonds, reflecting  in the light.Rest of the continent is in a deep freeze. Snow storms. Not here. Like a wall has been put up between us and the rest of the land. Like we're in some sort of bubble.

 And on the Japanese Maple , seed pods gather drops of rain. We haven't had a lot of rain this year. In fact, usually we are so much rain that it's impossible to get out, and the rain can be biting and cold. Wednesday it was so mild, I could sweep the garage, wash two cars, and wash windows. And sit on the grass with Mrs. Finch.

 And watch the Towhees guard the seeds on the railing. They seem to love those seeds and have declared ownership of the fence.  Brazen little things with their long tails.
 In the fog the juncos  perch on  bare branches, and the twitter and twitter like they are possessed with some knowledge  that spring may be here. I think they may be right.

                                   

 I know it is almost spring, because Smokey has decided to camp out on the step in the morning. He has the best vantage point in the place. Be careful, Smokey, there may be winter yet.....

 He can see the Mrs. Purple Finch. He can watch her stuff her face with seeds. See her flutter and bounce along the grass. But he doesn't seem to mind. ALmost like she is entertainment while he lies in the sun. The sun that makes us all think it is May.

                    But Cordelia licks her lips in anticipation. She also just views the scene, satisfied for now, since her humans up the hill have already given her breakfast. Mrs. Purple Finch will have to wait.And at the start of the next day, two brothers gather to say hello, and wish each other better luck in the birding dept..............