It’s still twenty degrees in the morning, it is still snowing, the air is biting cold in sharp contrast to the blue sky, but the promise of spring is here.

It starts with the return of the little birds, followed by the migrating birds, such as Evening Grosbeaks. They remind me of parrots with their bright coloring and raucous noise making.

The Grosbeaks and the soon to arrive Red Crossbills swarm like vermin and eat like pigs, but they will move on before spring actually arrives. The dead wild grasses will bloom green again. The ceramic birdbath will host woodpeckers, nuthatches, juncos, chicadees, blue jays, sparrows of all sorts, robins, doves, and more.

Until then, I’m not giving up my layers of clothing, warm coats or Smartwool socks!