At last we are having a sort of spring.  The first open water is so exciting.  And the minute there was space, in came the birds.On the extreme left, are a pair of trumpeter swans.I snows every few days, but it is not so cold overnight, and the resident varied thrush is looking a little more svelt.I drove mostly in the dark for my second trip to Williams Lake this year, but on the way home I was able to enjoy the scenery.  (And how lovely to have no logging trucks on the road!). The fire areas, of course, are still eye-catching.

Further west, there were storms over the mountains.The mornings are beginning to look like spring.Water is flowing in the little creek.The ice is going on my pond.The colourful group of willows has put in its best spring bark.The chipmunk is busy filling his cheek pouches with seeds.  He is a little wary of the junco.  How odd it would be to suddenly find yourself in an environment where the birds were as big as or bigger than you!Because of teaching ESL to our new Canadians, I have been driving back and forth to Tatla Lake frequently.  The fire area at downtown Kleena Kleene has an interesting colour scheme.Tatla is a little warmer, and there is a haze of green beside the road.And then that wonderful sight and sound – sandhill cranes.And yesterday I saw the first yellow pussy willows.  They are still silver at home, but when these blossoms come out I can expect the humming birds to arrive.

I have been trying hard to get volunteers, but all the early ones I contactedvbdecided that life was easier elsewhere.  I have so much spring work to do – the most urgent is to make the buildings more fire-smart by clearing and burning brush.  This has to be done before the snow goes. Fortunately Hussien agreed to come and help me.  He is a tailor by trade and I didn’t know how he would take to manual labour, but he enjoyed the physical exercise and worked really hard. We got a huge amount done.

Both he and his wife,  Hussna, have never driven so I have been giving them starter lessons on the bush roads.  They absolutely love it!There is a great store in Williams Lake called Red Shreds.  Started many years ago when the owner was only 18 years old, it is basically a bike and board shop, but it also stocks all good quality outdoor gear.  Even as a teenager, the owner’s mission in life was to help street kids by taking them on outdoor trips.  Now he has organized world-class-quality mountain bike trails.  And after our ESL lesson on Friday, I delivered the family home to find the kids having a great time on their donated bikes.  Thank you so much Red Shreds.

Sabrin has ridden before.But Sara is just learning.Hussna is proud of her girls (who, by the way, now say English sentence to us when we meet.)