SNOWDROPS VS SNOW - ROUND TWO!!!

Back on Feb. 18 I posted pictures of my snowdrops bursting out of

their winter prison. Such brave and hardy little souls they were.

Then, three days later on Feb. 21st - WHAMMO -

SNOWDROP SMACKDOWN!!

Huge piles of snow covered up the snowdrops, howling winds

created huge drifts of snow and the little bits

of spring were buried once again.

This set of snowdrop pictures I took this morning.

Yes, it's Round Two folks, and this time I am betting on the

snowdrops! (Well, I bet on them back in February too so that's not

saying much!) I just feel it in my bones that this time,

the SNOWDROPS will prevail!

While the snowgod has been full of bluster and bravado I

think his time has come and gone.

Go snowgod go! I bid you farewell!

It is time for you to loosen your icy grip and go back

to the Arctic or Siberia or wherever you came from.

Away with you!

Just look at that luscious green -

doesn't it just make your heart soar?

I really think the snowdrops are thumbing their collective

noses at the snowgod - he may have won the battle

but the snowdrops will win the WAR on winter!!

Yes! There are too many of them! You can't win

you dastardly snowgod!  Retreat, retreat!! while

you still can with some dignity intact!

No more hanging our heads, together we will prevail!!

I am SNOWDROP , HEAR ME ROAR!!

SNOWDROPS ARE SPROUTING YES INDEEDY!!

(Sung to the tune of "Hey Hey We're the Monkees!")

Here we come

Poppin' through the earth

Get the friendliest looks from

Everyworm we meet...

Hey hey we're the SNOWDROPS

People say what took you so long?

But we're too busy growing

And writing our new theme song!

When I got home from school today and noticed a lot of snow near

the dryer vent had melted away I thought I'd better have a looksee

in case my wee snowdrops had begun to push their way up.

They are the bravest little souls of pre-spring days, I love them so.

Especially these ones.

When I moved into my condo 16 1/2 years ago my parents still

lived in our family home in Norwich. I began the process of

transplanting some of my favourite flowers from my first village home

to the first home in the city that I bought for Kazi and me.

To me it never ceases to be a miracle when I start to see those

hardy green shoots popping up through ice and snow.

Just the merest hint of warmth and sunshine has these tough

little survivors pushing past any obstacles in their path -

gee, I feel like I'm describing myself!!

AND you know when you start seeing kids wearing shorts in the barely

above zero temperatures SPRING can't be far off!!

Springwater Conservation Area

First off - yesterday was another beautiful day in the neighbourhood so Michael and I took ourselves off to explore a new (to us) trail near Aylmer, Ontario called Springwater Conservation Area. It's only 40 minutes away yet we'd never been there before - had never heard of it in fact - it was recommended to us by another hiker met upon another trail. We took snacks and water with us and other than gas it was another NO SPEND day. (That $10 I had left after Friday night's movie rental is still in my wallet :) I think one of these weeks we should have a challenge where we each put a $20 bill in our wallet and see how long we can make it last - the winner wins $20 ha ha!!

As you can see by the photos Springwater is a natural treasure - full of maples and beech and very tall, very straight white pines reminiscent of the Group of Seven paintings.

For the first time I have spent all of my allotted money for food as I took advantage of a lot of specials while shopping on Saturday: sirloin tip roasts at $1.97/lb., pork loin at $1.29/lb., shrimp, talapia and haddock all half price and so on. So while I spent a lot we will be rolling in meat for several weeks to come.

This week looks pretty busy - meetings on Wed., parent/teacher interviews on Thursday, and a P.D. day on Friday so won't be much opportunity for spending temptations. Just the way I like it!

It was wonderful getting outside again yesterday. When I am able to put myself into such inspiring surroundings I totally forget about the daily challenges of balancing the books, ironing the big stack of clothes sitting on a chair in my bedroom, vacuuming the cat hair or the disaster area my daughter calls her room.

Blessedly all of that inner noise is drowned out by the soft sighing of the wind in the branches 100ft. above my head, birds chirping, frogs glugging, children laughing and me snapping away with my camera. Life is good.

Although there were a TON of leaves on the ground there were still enough left on the trees to ooh and ah over.

Those pine trees are humongous!!

Can you see tiny little Michael on the other side of the bridge walking on the path?

He walks a lot faster than me:)