The Fauna and Avis of Spring

[dr_phil_physics]

100% Sunshine

Monday and Tuesday of this week -- not a cloud in the sky. More overcast here on Wednesday, but even warmer. Have finally cracked 70degF. Outdoors, of course. (grin) After a sprinkling of snow on Sunday, the weather crisis mavens have finally declared that Spring is here...

Crossing the Roads

On Tuesday's drive in, I had to pause and slow down just a mile from our house as a married pair of Mallard ducks decided to stroll across the road. Guess the missus felt the drainage ditch on the south side of the road was better than the north side. Maybe the shade is better. Or tastier frogs.

Later, as I headed south on US-131, I had a heron take off from the other side of the freeway, pull up its long landing gear and gracefully pull and glide over the road. Neat.

And tonight, taking the back roads at the Kent/Ottawa County border and avoiding the new Meijer's, I had just turned at the first farm and had to slow down as this lovely thick furred black kitty began to trot across the road. Three-quarters of the way across and the cat broke into a full bore gallop, diving under a big ol' tractor parked next to the barn. Then it suddenly sat down and had a bath attack. Inscrutable.

I love cats.

Spring

Don't get me wrong. I'm happy for this winter to be over. I like spring. What I don't like anticipating is warmer nights making going to sleep harder -- we like cold rooms and piles of blankets -- and the spring allergy/cold season. My sinuses already are clogging up. Call it mind over snot matter. (sn*rt)

I guess I worry too much. (double-edged-grin)

Dr. Phil

Comments

Quit snuffling

[wendyb-09.livejournal.com]

At least your area doesn't get pollen counts at 3342 particles per cubic liter of air, which is what we had last Friday...pollen was so thick in front of my apartment it looked like it snowed pollen from the surrounding pine, sycamore, oak and sweet gum trees.

Then we had a wonderful spring rain over the weekend that washed most of the pollen out of the air the first part of the week. Loverly...with the lack of rain the last few years we haven't always been lucky enough to get rain just as the pine pollen was peaking. Think the trees got scrubbed clean.

This year I've had a new twist to the annual spring snuffling, more itching in the ears than nasal issues. Which is ok, the nasal stuff always leads to a sinus infection and I really don't want another one of those.

If I remember correctly we had a peak pollen count of 6000 plus last year about this time...you've heard of purple haze...this was yellow haze...

Re: Quit snuffling

[dr-phil-physics.livejournal.com]

Actually, the ear itching can be a worse sign than the nose thing -- it was driving me nuts last year and I had to take some mongo dryer-uppers to calm things down. (grin)

Dr. Phil

Re: Quit snuffling

[wendyb-09.livejournal.com]

great...and it's one of those itches you just can't scratch...

Re: Quit snuffling

[dr-phil-physics.livejournal.com]

Sometimes a little rubbing alcohol on the tip of Q-tip can dry up what's going on in the ear, which is sometimes caused by clogged up drainage due to those durned sinuses.

Dr. Phil