Spring has definitely arrived in Athens, Georgia. Colors are popping out all over. This pear tree in our backyard is breathtaking. It almost glows.

I grew up on the east coast but after almost 18 years in California, I am dazzled by the brilliant colors and the greens of everything here.

Don't get me wrong, I loved California. It has a rugged beauty and the colors of Sonoma and Napa counties in spring are pretty dazzling too. But these images prompt so many memories of springs of years ago.

The birds never really went away this winter but lots of new ones have arrived at the feeders we have in our backyard and they are fascinating to watch. They also consume an alarming amount of food. My neighbors say they put food out all year long so that the birds stick around.

We regularly see goldfinches, cardinals, blue jays, sparrows, robins and a lot of birds I don't know yet but I'm trying to identify them as I see them. I have been told that hummingbirds are pretty plentiful here too. I love those fiesty little critters. As soon as it gets a bit warmer, out go the hummingbird feeders.

We also have some of the healthiest, most well fed squirrels you will ever see. I have watched them conquer almost every deterent I have put up to keep them out of the feeders. I have seen them dangle by one toe, reach way out and pull the bird feeder over so that they can eat their fill. I've watched as they literally flew through the air from branch to ever tinier branch and then drop down onto the shepherd's hook poles from which the feeders hang.


One of the more spectacular saves found a cute little squirrel swinging from branch to ever smaller branch and landing, plop, in the bird bath. Apparently not even his/her dignity was injured, within minutes he was hanging upside down from the feeder, eating and enjoying every morsel.

I will drink in all this beauty and then head off for a visit to Lake Tahoe. My daughter and I have made that trip for years together, leaving the rest of the family at home. We have a wonderful time hiking around the lake, eating great food, gambling a bit and catching up. The only bad thing about leaving California was leaving my daughter and grandchildren back there. This will be the first time I've seen them since we left CA on July 12.

Can't take a trip without some knitting projects in hand so this week and next I'll get those together and in addition will attend the Peachtree Handspinners and Weavers guild meeting on Sunday and a spinning retreat next weekend and I'll toss in a bit of watercolor instruction for a friend who wants to learn the ins and outs of that medium.