We had our spring in the middle of winter: now we are getting chilled, gloomy, wet snow.

The birds at the feeder had begun to scatter, but they all flocked for treats when the ground was covered.

Redwing Blackbirds

Junco

A rare visit from a crow.

And a new migrant, whose song greeted me on my return from Bella Coola: A song sparrow.

In the mean time, Max was sanding the beams in the house.  My bed is under the tarp on the left so you can imagine what a mess the place is in.  I knew it would have been better to sand the beams before they were in place, but at that time I had no time, nor did I have a power system to run a sander.

Nico taking his turn.  (He is smiling!)

Nico and Mareike are building a deck.  I do not have boards for the top at the moment, so we are using scrap stuff lying around.  At least I should be able to sit on it while I am recuperating from the knee replacement.  In the pre-surgery material I am reading, it advises the patient to imagine themselves in a favourite place.  In my mind I will be on the deck in the early morning sun listening to the song sparrows in the wetland.  (I’ll try not to think of the mosquitos who will start soon no doubt)

 

I want to plant a few alpines I collected in the mountains last summer.  Max and Nico fetched a pile of rocks.

And I now have a new rock garden

 

(I will be leaving for Vancouver on Sunday.  The surgery is next Thursday, the 18th.  Please forgive me if I do not answer email for a few days.)

 

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