The ornamentals are in bloom--Japanese flowering quince and saucer magnolia. In the "weeds in the lawn" category, the little mint called "creeping charlie" is looking very nice (or at least it was, until I mowed this afternoon).

Red squirrels also seem to be "blooming." I poked at a spot of grass under the eave of the house (is that the sofit?) and had a couple of elegant little tails and a few feet poke through as I pulled out lengths of dried grass. Seemed real odd--rodent tails, but clearly not rats. And they were lethargic (turned out their eyes aren't open yet, and their tails have no hair yet). I figured out what they are when one fell out, and I found it on the lawn before I mowed over it. Idiot naturalist that I am, I figured I have so damned many squirrels in the attic already I might as well poke this little fellow back. I got some gloves and picked him up, only to have him go off like a whistling teakettle, announcing to the world that I must be trying to eat him. ;) I tore a few pieces of cardboard and poked them through the hole to prevent their falling out by accident again. Once they're grown and the weather is warm I'm going to have to circle the house and cover these holes (and put up a firm mesh over the attic fan). I hope to have a special relationship with these guys this year. It's karma.
SRS