Oh how slow spring has been this year...or at least that is how it felt after such a horrible winter...but no looking  back, it has arrived in all it's glory of color and song. It awakens my heart to new growth and new life...everything is easier to deal with when the sun is shinning and the birds are singing.  The miracle of spring happens quickly when it decides to show it's face and I never want to miss a moment of it.

Yesterday Liam and I were in the driveway and we heard this beautiful song...Liam asked me what it was and I told him it was a bird.  So we looked and wait and then in his excited, little boy voice, he saw it..."look Nana, over there, it's a red bird.  A cardinal had landed and was singing a love song to his mate.  That's what we decided anyways...and it's our story. Next, Liam was yelling again, "Nana the red bird is in the tree with the pink flowers."..that's when I went to my car to get my camera...fortunately the cardinal waited for me to return. I had to return my little love bug to his own home, five minutes driving time from mine, and after kisses and hugs and high fives, I told him I would be back today to take him and Jaxson to tea..and off I went with those birds on my mind.

Back in my driveway I saw some motion by this tree...amazing how many holes are in it.  It seems that I have missed many woodpecker photo ops...this tree was full of holes and some a very good size...I moved my car out of the driveway, positioned it to be able to shoot out the window, directly at the hole..then I turned the engine off and waited..

I didn't have to wait long...in the quiet, except the singing of the cardinals, along came this chickadee.  He took a quick look around, I think he could hear the shutter button on my camera, then quickly moved into this hole...now at first I thought he was building a nest in there but not so....

There were two little chickadee's and they were tag teaming a clean up and taking the saw dust to a different nest...using it for their family that will soon come...I kept seeing them flying off with this stuff instead of just dropping it and making a nest right in this old tree...but they have their reasons I'm sure...now, I'll have to watch the back of the house to see where they are residing...let me tell you, these two were busy for quite some time...and then all of a sudden...everything went deadly quiet.  Coffee break and siesta for the birds...

Put the car back in the drive-way but now I have the bug. I have been in the house so long with only my still life to work on.  It was so good to be out again...even if it was only in my front yard...but my house is a happening place you know...so I just walked across the way...and found me all kinds of nature to shoot and I forgot all about the time and the bathrooms that were waiting for cleaning...

Blossoms, buds and wonderful bokeh at the edge of the road...I love this bush in my neighbors yard.  The color is gorgeous and it seems not only the cardinals enjoy it...it's an early bloomer and so we stayed together for awhile...

This is the truth about spring...these tiny yellow flowers, so fragile yet so strong...they arrive first.  They stay for awhile without requiring much attention but from me they get a lot of attention...I appreciate the good news that they bring..whether they are standing tall or laying on the ground.  Their appearance each year tells the story of Spring...and reminds me once again...that life is good, hope springs eternal and that even the longest winter is short when spring arrives...