Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Spring!!!




Like some miracle that Mother Nature arranges just for my birthday, we are in the midst of a vernal explosion. The Johnnie Jump-ups (shooting stars) are blooming. When I was little, I thought that those flowers were a part of my birthday, and they only came and went for a short time just for me. The hills are covered with fresh green grasses. The Manzanita blossoms are on the wane, and they are deep into producing the little berries that all of the kids think look like miniature apples.

The Rufous-sided Towhee returns on my birthday every year, give or take a day or two. His return is hard to miss he sits outside my open bedroom window and sings to the world that he has made it through the winter, he is back, he is in great shape, and ready to make a few chicks. The Turkey buzzard usually shows up sporadically, beginning around the first of March, but in great abundance by the end of March. As you already know, some spend the winter here. The Swallows that nest in the eaves of building and under bridges are back.

Later in the spring, I will take my wife on our annual trip over the Bell Spring road down to my birth place, Laytonville. We stop in several places just to hear the Meadow Lark cry out to the world that the rock that he is perched on is his and his alone. I always thought that his plaintive lonely cry sounded like “Catch me if you can”. The Bell Springs road in the spring is a trip that all of humanity should travel at least once in their lives. That and the Wilder Ridge road into Ferndale. Wild flowers are everywhere. I especially like to find the little Fawn Lillies hiding under the Manzanita brush.

I like the start of the long warm days, when a person has a chance to move outside. I always get a great urge to build something. Well this has gone on long enough, I think that I will go build something.

11 comments:

Kym said...

Happy Birthday (Belated), Ernie. Meadow Larks calls and Shooting Star flowers are two of my favorite parts of Spring, too!

Indie said...

I love spring too. And you have just pointed out some of the lovely particulars. Let us know what you decide to build...

Ernie Branscomb said...

Kym, I envy your position on the mountain. Even though they are called Meadow Larks, they don’t live in the valleys, they only live in the high alpine meadows. Same with the cute little Western Bluebird, they are only found in the higher elevations. I always liked to watch the Bluebirds take care of their nestlings. I recently discovered that the female Bluebird is a little trollop, that finds her fun where she may. “Genetic studies showed that 45% of nests had young that were not fathered by the defending male,


When I lived I Laytonville we had both birds near our house and I sure do miss them.

Chris Crawford said...

I spent waaay too much time in Ohio this month and I can tell you that Spring has far from sprung in the Buckeye state.

It is still quite cold there and the bulb shoots are only tenuously poking out of the soil. Those brave shoots that do are likely to be rewarded with another late snowfall or at least frost.

We are SO blessed to live in the temperate climate of the North Coast.

samoasoftball said...

Softball!

Ernie Branscomb said...

Well, I had frost on my softballs this morning in Benbow.

The Buzzards come back to Hinckley Ohio on March 15th. I read it, so it has to be true!

\ said...

hey Frostyballs, you can raed all about the buzzheads return to Gville every Aug 1st rite here

bunny said...

You got me ms blah blah.

I feel like a new human every Spring, lighter and more enthusiastic. I guess a lot of people feel that way. The Blue Moon Gift Shop opened on April 1, 1978 in Miranda! 31 years later we wonder who will come along with a business head and take over in a few years.

Ben said...

I was up Salmon Creek today and spring as looking great there. Tui and I wil take our drive around the loop soon. We keep spring happening well into June by taking our drives to higher and higher places. I recommend a drive to the Lassiks in mid June. Stop at Watts Lake (this is a lake?) for lunch and then on to a whole other world at the Lassiks. The road goes on and down to the Van Duzen and we go to Hettenshaw Valley to see the purple Camass and the sunflowers. If you hit it right, it is unforgettable.

Ernie Branscomb said...

"If you hit it right, it is unforgettable."

Ben.
Been there done that, and I totally agree. Have you ever roasted a Camass and eaten it? I haven't, but I always wanted to try it. I guess I just don't have the courage to believe that I have the right flower.

Ben said...

Ernie.. I'v never tried Camass nor has Tui tho she had them in he backyard when she lived in Willits. I think we fear getting the white kind that is poisonous. I wonder what the toxin is? I've never looked it up.