I know, I know… the first day of spring was March 20th. But up north where we live, March can be pretty harsh. It doesn’t really feel like spring until at least April to me. April brings sunshine, fresh turned soil, pussy willows and colorful blooms from the bulbs we planted last fall. The earth is whispering awake again. And most importantly, spring brings renewed hope. I don’t know about you, but I am ready for some bright color, a refresh, and renewed hope back in my life.
Spring is full of new growth and wildlife babies
Little lake life has been a whole different type of wildlife entertainment than when we lived up on the mountain in the woods. From out home tucked up in the mountains we would see deer, turkeys and the occasional moose.
Here at the lake, we observe great blue herons, eagles, muskrats, tons of different ducks and even the occasional otter. The otter stopped by the other day to roll and play on our dock for a short time. If I were an animal, I would definitely want to be an otter. They just enjoy life so much.
Meet our new neighbors
Life is chock full of wonder, if we are aware and open to it. Such is the case with our neighbors. When we moved to this house last fall, we had a couple welcome us to the hood. They stop by unexpectedly and bring joy, smiles and entertainment. They are not your typical neighbors. They are a geese couple (geese mate for life) and while they roam the lake, they usually stop by here once a day. While many geese fly south in the winter, this couple braved the cold and stayed on. It helped that the lake did not freeze over in this unseasonably warmer winter.
Since they are here so much, I decided they needed names. Not just any cute animal name, but something quirky, fun and with a meaningful story behind it. When my mom was growing up, she had a beloved chicken that she coddled and carried around. The chicken’s name was Genevieve. My grandpa, who gave my parents this property, had the middle name Isaac. So, the couple have been crowned with the names Genevieve and Isaac. It fits them.
We enjoy their company. However, if they start leaving messes on our dock or yard, I will be chasing them off. My dad has fond memories of my mom getting up in the morning and going outside in her robe, armed with a broom, to chase off the geese that would come up in their yard. Perhaps the apple does not fall from the tree… we shall see. I might need to buy a new robe.
Hope springs
The bright colors and wildlife that emerge in the spring are signs of new life. Signs of fresh starts and hope. May you take the time to enjoy the wonder of spring!
So many thoughts sparked by your blog. Nothing says spring like pussy willows, daffodils & crocuses. The snow melt has begun in NE Alberta but there’s a way to go yet. I did see robins on Friday. You can’t fool a robin. Typically the ice in the N Saskatchewan river is out between April 13-21. Again, there’s a way to go yet. A friend said about those geese pairs we spotted a few weeks ago with no open water in sight – you know the goose said to the gander, “I told you we came back too soon.” Re: the robe. I often bring wood in from the box on the porch in my robe. I had told my neighbor how the deer look up at me, unafraid of anything in a pink housecoat. Her husband, a great hunter, called to ask if he could borrow the pink housecoat!
Hi Mona!
Yes, robins are definitely a sign of spring. My parents used to have a bet every year on when the ice would melt off of the lake, but we had such an unseasonably mild winter that it did not get close to freezing over this year. I think we get braver (or just care less) about going outside in our robes as we get older.😊 It sounds like your neighbor has a great sense of humor.
What an amazing picture of the moose in your birdbath. How fun is that! Thanks for sharing and Happy Spring! 🙂 xxx
Hi Marsha!
It was such a fun surprise to see. The photo was a little blurry because I took it through the window and my hands were shaking. Happy spring to you! I am looking forward to your new book, “The Quiet Power of Blogging.”