Early Spring Happenings...

It's been a relatively uneventful week. Now that testing is winding down we are back to our normal ESL schedules, except for a snafu at the high school level which required all three of us aides to make an emergency run and finish testing that a teacher couldn't manage. The good news is the testing is completed, on time. It's also the time of year when layoff notices are being handed out. Several teachers, who have also received them the last couple years, are receiving them again. Chances are they will be rehired but you never know for sure. So far the ESL department appears to be safe. Our money comes from Title III funding, federal level, and so far we haven't heard of any cuts. Time will tell though what our numbers will be for next year as this population seems to fluctuate from year to year. I really love this job so I hope it lasts for another year.

Friday night was bowling and I won't go into too much detail except to say it was ugly and painful and we beat ourselves and deserved to lose all 4 points. No one on our team really bowled well and as usual, we brought out the best in the other team and they creamed us! Next time is position night and I think we will finish somewhere near the middle of the 14 teams, hopefully.

We are still seeing some signs of spring but this weekend it's been cold and gray. Oh wait, the sun just popped out! Maybe this day will turn out ok. Although the forecasters are predicting "snow showers" later in the week along with thunderstorms. We also have a high wind advisory for today. It's takes Spring a while to make up it's mind here in Michigan. The grass is greening up though and my tulips and daffodils are making a valiant effort to push up toward the sun!

Here are my Hyacinths almost ready to bloom! Guess it's time to clean out those Fall leaves.

I think that super warm day we had last Sunday helped everything along. I even noticed one of my rosebushes starting to get some little branch buds on it.

Of course the wild life comes and goes. Here's just a sampling of things I've seen around the house this week.

There were two pairs of Wood ducks by the feeder. The picture isn't that great since I took it out the kitchen window.

They have the prettiest markings!


One male kept trying, and finally managed, to chase the other pair off. The girls stayed out of it!


This young mourning dove sat on the deck railing for a long time just watching me at the sink.

This egret was out on the pond for quite some time.


These two ducks landed right in front of him and he just stood there.


He was quite busy and there will probably be a few less peepers peeping this evening on the pond.

I took the pups to the field this afternoon. It was really windy and therefore really cold but they had fun, as usual. I thought Charlie was going to run for the hills one time when the wind was whistling through the bleachers on the football field but he finally stopped, turned around and came back to me.


I managed to cross off most of the things on my to-do list this weekend. I had hoped to get out to the garden and maybe plant onions but that will have to wait. It was just too cold and windy. I have Friday off for Good Friday so maybe it will be a little warmer then. I also bought carrot and radish seeds today and I would like to get them planted too. Maybe I'll even head out to the nursery and see if any early lettuce or broccoli are in. I'm already planning (in my head at least) where I'm going to plant what this year and what all I'm going to plant based on what worked and what didn't last year. It's almost the end of April! It's got to warm up sometime, right?

Have a good week.