Altivo

It's amazing how much you can get done when you're avoiding doing something else. I have two things that really need doing: final edits on a short manuscript to meet requests by an editor, and some adjustements and repairs to my wolf fursuit. So... while dutifully feeling guilty about not doing those (or the laundry) I spent the day cooking, readign, cleaning barns, playing with Tess, looking at spring birds and flowers, and anything else I could use to avoid really working.

In my own defense, there is still time to get these things done. And I did get other things done. Dinner was made to meet a specific request by Gary. All the clocks were reset for daylight time. A late birthday present was finished and packaged up for mailing tomorrow. I got something working over the network that I'd been wanting to get going. A first class breakfast was served too, and much time spent outdoors to celebrate the very pleasant weather: 63F, sunny, very light breeze.

We saw a huge number of sandhill cranes pass overhead. There were two large flocks, probably 150 or more birds between them. And the two groups kept circling each other so they progressed past our little farm very gradually. All the time they were making the strange gurgling calls that sandhills make. It was pretty amazing. Later I saw two more flying so high that they kept going in and out of the clouds, but I could still hear them.

I think the juncos departed this week. Now we have red winged blackbirds, grackles, cardinals, house finches, chickadees, cardinals, nuthatches, and myriad woodpeckers. Oh, and mourning doves, suddenly. There were always two or three through the winter but now they come by the dozen.