Spring 2018

What, exactly, constitutes "spring'?  Scientifically, Spring began at 10:15 a.m. (MDT) on Tuesday, 20 March this year, which was the time of the vernal equinox.  At the vernal equinox, days are approximately 12 hours long, with the length of the day increasing as the season progresses.  Here, in the United States, acknowledged months of spring are March, April, and May.  However, in the Southern Hemisphere it is now autumn, or fall; in New Zealand, spring is from 1 September through 30 November.  Swedish meteorologists define the beginning of spring as the first occasion on which the average temperature is above 0 degrees Celsius (32 F) for seven consecutive days, thus their dates for spring vary with the latitude and elevation.  Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and also to ideas of rebirth, rejuvenation, renewal, regrowth, and resurrection.
   During early spring, the axis of the Earth is increasing its tilt relative to the sun, and the length of daylight rapidly increases for the relevant hemisphere.  The hemisphere begins to warm significantly, causing new plant growth to "spring forth," possibly giving the season it's common name. Snow begins to melt, swelling streams with runoff, and frosts become less severe.  In climates that have no snow, and frosts are rare, ground temperature increases more rapidly.
   Many flowering plants bloom at this time of year, in a long succession, sometimes beginning when snow is still on the ground, and continuing into summer.  In  normally snow-less areas, spring may begin as early as February (in the Northern Hemisphere) or in August (in the Southern).  Many temperate areas have a dry spring and a wet autumn, which brings flowers in this season, more consistent with the need for water, as well as warmth. Sub-arctic areas may not experience spring until the month of May or June.
  While spring is a result of the warmth caused by the changing orientation of the Earth's axis relative to the sun, weather is affected by other, less predictable events.  Rainfall follows trends related to longer cycles, like the solar cycle, or events created by ocean currents and temperatures.  Unstable spring weather may occur more often when warm air begins to invade toward the north, while cold is is pushing south.  Flooding is also most common in and near mountainous areas during this time of year, because of melting snow. "Tornado Alley" is most active in the spring, especially since the Rocky Mountains prevent the surging hot and cold air masses from spreading eastward, and instead force them into direct conflict.  Besides tornadoes, supercell thunderstorms can also produce dangerous large hail and very high winds.  And more so than in winter, the jet streams play an important role in unstable and severe weather in the spring.
   Spring in the Southern Hemisphere is different in several significant ways from the Northern Hemisphere for several reasons.  They include: (a) there is no land bridge between Southern Hemisphere countries  and the Antartic zone capable of bringing in cold air without the temperature-mitigating effects of great tracts of water; (b) the vastly greater amount of ocean water in the Southern Hemisphere at all latitudes; (c) the Earth (at this time) has an orbit that brings it in closer to the Southern Hemisphere for its warmer seasons; (d) there is a circumpolar flow of air uninterrupted by large land masses; (e) there are no equivalent jet streams; and (f) the peculiarities of the reversing ocean currents in the Pacific.
  ** In recent decades, season creep has been observed, which means that many phrenological signs of spring are occurring earlier in many regions - by around two days per decade. **

Wildfires in Our Area

At almost 3 in the afternoon, there are currently three wildfires burning within 30 miles of Boulder.  The temperature is now 61 degrees, the humidity is at 19%, and the wind is from the west-southwest, blowing at 19 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.  Other than overnight frost, we have not had rain or snow in 35 days.  We are dry and dessicated at the moment, and are under a "Red Flag Watch" which means extreme fire danger.  No wonder there are three fires burning...
   One is a grass fire between Denver and Golden; one is a grass fire on a farm's pasture; and one is a grass-brush fire near Longmont that has made some house evacuations necessary.  It is thought that the first two fires were caused by cigarettes flung from car windows.  The one near Longmont hasn't had a cause determined yet...   According to the long-range forecast, after highs in the 70s tomorrow and mid 60s Wednesday (with high winds, of course), we're supposed to have some snow on Thursday, and possibly Friday morning...  I won't hold my breath, though.
    With the weather being so warm, the plants and animals are thinking that it's spring...  Birds are beginning to nest; squirrels are providing acrobatic displays in their search for mates; skunks are having their orgies and spraying everywhere during their breeding.  There's an area, almost one and a half miles wide, near the Denver International Airport, that reeks to high heaven of skunk scent...  It's incredible!
   I'll also ask that you send a few warm thoughts to my "adopted nephew" Connor Evans today, as he has to appear before a Judge at Standing Rock, North Dakota.  Connor is facing charges of "inciting a riot" at the Dakota Pipeline building site on the Standing Rock Reservation.  Connor, who is friendly with the Lakota, had wandered up to the front line of the protest, and was standing next to Chase Iron Eyes.  Connor had wanted to get a first-person eyes-on perspective of what the oil company's men, and the law officers, were doing.  Connor, Chase, and 74 other people, who were standing silently, and watching, were arrested for "inciting a riot."  That is not Connor in any way, shape or form.  If he is found guilty at this hearing, I'm sure he can handle the 10 days in jail sentence.  But I also know that he won't willingly leave Standing Rock - and, the state is changing their laws - if he gets arrested a second time, he can be charged with a felony - and that has me worried.   (Thanks for reading/listening, by the way.) The following photo is Connor at Standing Rock...

Cottages

I've always wanted a small, cozy house for myself - a little cottage.  With my cats, and my books, I'm afraid I'd need at least 4 rooms, but still, cozy.  I used to be surprised when I'd see a advertisement about an English cottage for sale or rent and it always seemed to have at least three bedrooms.  That, to me is a lot larger than a "cottage."  It is definitely Spring, as I am hitting my nesting-mode again! Anyway, here are a few photos of small cottages that I admire:

Usual Schizophrenic Spring Weather

Let's see...  Thursday and Friday we had a combined snowfall amount of almost fourteen inches in Boulder (up in the mountains, they had 2 and 3 feet of snowfall).  It was overcast and cool on the weekend.  Yesterday, we reached a high of 72, with some mild winds - the Chinook that was forecast didn't kick in.  It is currently 50 degrees (F), with 37% humidity outside.  The newspaper says that we'll have a high of 67 today, and we have a good chance of snow tonight.  Hunh?  Yep, it's the usual Boulder schizophrenic Spring weather pattern kicking in.  NOAA says breezy this afternoon and tomorrow, with snow tomorrow morning.  Both NOAA and the forecasters say we'll have snow Friday....  The one thing I have learned since moving to Boulder is that the weather is completely unpredictable - and that the average last day of snowfall in Boulder is May 6...  Folks are encouraged not to plant outside until after Mother's Day, which is on the 8th this year.
   And - just a silly question - why does the date of Easter jump around so much on the calendar?  I mean, the church has chosen December 25 as the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus, no matter what day of the week it falls on.  I easily understand how Jewish holidays seem to change dates, but the synagogues use a lunar calendar that has been in use for thousands of years.  Why does the new, "modern" Christian church use some sort of hocus-pocus theory to set the date of Easter - which can occur, according to the church, in March, April, or May?  I have to admit that, as a child, Easter only meant the Easter Bunny and lots of chocolate, but it seems to me that it usually took place in the last half of April.  Again, that might just be my sugar-fogged brain supplying incorrect information.  But why does Easter float all over three months of the calendar?  At the time, the Romans were using their calendar, and the Jews were using their lunar calendar, so can't a specific date be set?
   Oh, well....  Off to walk the doggies.

Spring?

Hoping to get back to daily postings, as my penance seems to be over...  We had four inches of snow fall early yesterday morning, and while a couple of inches are still on the ground in shaded and north-facing areas, most of it has melted.  I got up early yesterday to be ready in case the lady wanted to walk the King Charles Cavalier spaniels despite the snow.  It was still spinning down in the parking lot lights in my apartment area, and at the restaurant next door.  I had told the house-sitter that I would call at 6:05 a.m. to be certain she wanted to walk, and that all I needed was a yes or no answer from her, as I would need the next 10 minutes to put on my boots, snow coat, hats, scarf and gloves and get a block down the street, and across it, to the bus stop..    When she picked up the telephone, she sounded amazed that I was calling her (maybe she forgot?) and asked why.  I told her it was snowing at my place, and asked if she wanted to walk the dogs, as planned.  She said it wasn't snowing at the house - how could it be snowing at my residence?  I said, "We're two miles apart.  It can happen."  But she had to put on her coat and go out and look.  The only thing is, she didn't have her boots on, so she had to take her coat off, put her boots on, put her coat on again, and then search for her hat...  Needless to say, I missed the first bus.  I arrived there at 7;15 instead of 7:00 and she was upset with me.  I had a major headache by the time I finished walking the dogs under her directions.  I came home and took medication and went to bed.  Thank goodness it was the last day I had to be in her company....  I might have lost my temper and unloaded on her, and she would have no idea why I was upset.  She's just that ditsy.
  The sun came out nicely yesterday afternoon, and a lot of the morning snow melted.  I relaxed last night by getting out my Tiffany Glass coloring book and applying colors to a wooden sailing ship on the high seas.  I am so happy that I can purchase adult coloring books these days, and don't have to print line drawings off the internet anymore.
   Even though it's only February 24, we've had a week of temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70s, and our plants and wildlife are starting to believe that it's already Spring.  There were a pair of great horned owls in the pines in my sister's back yard this morning, and Rosie and I watched a male red-shafted flicker sing and dance and spread his feathers for his lady.  And another flicker was having the time of his life hammering away at a metal fireplace exhaust a few houses down.  The cottontails were out enjoying themselves in the sun, and sparrows were gathering twigs for nests.  I'm still not used to seeing blue jays in Boulder, but there were a foursome flying around the neighborhood this morning - it almost sounded like I was back on the east coast.  Bertie, one of the three identifiable squirrels that we feed, spent the majority of the afternoon sunning on top of the telephone pole between our apartment and Chez Thuy...  And a couple of the ravens are becoming accustomed to my presence - after I placed out some soft fruit for them this morning, two came and sat on the balcony and looked in the window while I was working at my desk.  Pretty soon I'll start placing food for them by the window - and I'll make certain that my cats are not on the balcony at that time.
 

Various Photos

Light pollution from Denver, Colorado.   Photo by Lars Leber

Tides and ice floes collapsed the pilings of the oysterman's cabin in Tom's Cove

A beautiful spring day

Lamb inspection time!

Painted storks

Kalavantin Durg, India - imagine climbing those stairs to the top

Wolf pup

Miscellanea

Boulder hit 67 degrees (F) yesterday.  Looking at the mountains as I walked back home this morning, I noted that the south side of Sugarloaf Mountain was brown, and no longer snow-covered.  The high peaks, further to the west, are still carrying their whole cloaks of snow, but here along the Front Range, we're melting.  The weather forecasters are saying we'll probably break the high temperature record for today, which is 76 degrees.  All snow has melted or evaporated in  my back yard, and the kits had a wonderful day, being allowed to run in and out from dawn until dusk.  Lovey is still pooped out from yesterday, and is asleep in her chair.  Nedi, as usual, is on the prowl outside...
   I spent yesterday on the telephone with cousin Sarah, cousin Brian, and friend Beatrice.  I also finished reading White Fire, and sent a bunch of family history information to both Sarah and Brian.  I had planned on cleaning the apartment yesterday and today, but that is now scheduled for today and tomorrow.  And I'll treat myself to brunch at Turley's Kitchen again today.  At the moment, I have no night-time plans for this week, other than another Grand Jury meeting on Thursday.
   We are now seven weeks away from the first Saturday in May - the running of the Kentucky Derby. Last year, American Pharoah was the betting favorite for the Juvenile Breeders Cup race; but he was scratched due to injury.  Yesterday, he made his return to the track a roaring success - he led the field from gate to wire in the Rebel Stakes, winning by 6 3/4 lengths.  And it's a little more amazing that he returned in such top-flight form since he bobbled on his first step out of the starting gate and twisted his off-fore shoe, and the track was sloppy.  Texas Red, who won the Breeders Cup Juvenile is back in training, after suffering an injury earlier this year.  After his performance in the Rebel, American Pharoah will probably be the starting line favorite for this year's Run for the Roses.
   I am enjoying my morning walks with Rosie, Lucy, and Charlie these days.  Green plants are slowly appearing in flower beds, and some early crocus and daffodils are blooming already.  As we walk, I notice that new buds are appearing on trees and bushes, and birds are scrounging for nest building materials.  The bees in the neighborhood hives are waking up, and are out searching for pollen, while avoiding humans.  The squirrels are going through their mating rituals, and one can see male birds feeding special tidbits of food to their chosen mates.  That also means it is time to start smelling skunks out and about; they have mating orgies and end up spraying everywhere.  In a way, it's a nice sign of spring, but it can also be nauseating, if more than five skunks spray in the same area - the odor will take your breath away! Ernie, our local raccoon, is starting to mature - but he comes onto the patio, attracts my cats' attention, and then they get mine.  He is usually right in front of the patio door, sitting on his hind end, with his front paws clasped, as if pleading for food.  I usually give him some raw vegetables and garlic bread - but found out around Thanksgiving that he loves to eat pumpkin pie...  My local wildlife are spoiled?  Absolutely!

Spring in Colorado

It looks like we might have a week or so without snow - I think Spring is finally arriving in Boulder.  Rosie and I did encounter four different snow flurries yesterday morning, but the sizes of the flakes and the amount that fell was minuscule.  The squirrels are running amok, and birds are courting and building nests.  My brother-in-law's yard has multiple patches of snowdrops and wild violets blooming, and the green leaves of the crocus and daffodils are growing almost visibly.  Rosie visited the groomer Saturday, and is now a sleek velvet, except for her ears, chest, leg feathers, and the plume of her tail - and the groomer left her top-knot, at the owners request.  She's ready to start diving into the koi pond several times a day now.
   Nedi is still his skinny little self, while Lovey is starting to get a bit of a belly...  They both run and play like mad, but I have to remember that while Nedi just turned four, Lovey will turn nine in August.  She is like Boo and Rosie - they still think they're 6 months old, and not their actual years.  Lovey's only problem is her lack of canines for biting during fights - I've broken up only two fights since Christmas, and Lovey did not appear to be winning either one.  Having lived in the same place for 8 years (as of yesterday), and beginning our ninth year here, she believes that she is the Queen of all she sees.  The truth is, younger cats have a much greater advantage, as they have teeth and claws, both, to use.  In any event, she seems to have settled down a bit, as she matures.
   I sent my "polite letter" of complaint to the apartment management regarding the emotional service dog next door.  The owner was told what the rules are in the complex regarding dogs - they must not be turned loose in the communal back yard; there is a leash law in effect; if your dog poops, then the owner is responsible for picking it up; dogs who bark at neighbors moving inside their apartments are considered a "nuisance."  The young lady insists upon turning her dog loose, leaving the poop wherever the dog leaves it, and letting her dog bark, not only at me, but at anyone in the back yard.  I had just picked up 8 piles of dog poop and was carrying it to the dumpster, when I met the apartment manager - he commented on the nasty odor of the bag I was carrying.  I told him that it wasn't used kitty litter, it was the dog poop from the service dog.  He was appalled.  He arranged to sit on a tenant's second floor balcony overlooking the communal back yard.  After three hours, he had seen and heard enough.  I am one of five tenants who have complained about the dog, according to the apartment manager.  The service dog's owner frequently heard me tell the dog, when it was on my patio, barking at my movements inside,that (a) it was a bad dog to bark at neighbors, and (b) this is my patio and the dog shouldn't be here.  When she paid her rent, she was informed that the apartments were giving her a 45-day notice to move.  So she now blames me completely, has written a very nasty letter to me and delivered it by placing it under my door, and has informed me that I "have disrespected" her, and that she "is no longer my friend and will not look or smile at" me.  I feel sorry that she has been given notice.  I am sad that she blames it all on me.  But - she needs to know that the laws of the county, city, and apartment community apply to her, as they do to all residents.....

Flooding, Spring, $2 Million in Taxes in One Month

The biggest news around here is that the first month's sale of recreational marijuana brought in $2 million in state taxes for Colorado.  Not only that, but the first marijuana smoking club has been licensed and will soon open it's door - Club Ned - up in Nederland.  Yep, where they just finished the three-day celebration of Frozen Dead Guy Days -they keep a man's body preserved in dry ice in a shed.  ...  Also, since 1 July 2013, if you buy anything in Boulder from a grocery store, you have to pay 10 cents apiece for the little, flimsy plastic bags the store supplies.  Monday, Boulder announced that the use of those plastic grocery bags has dropped by 68 % since they began charging for them - this was done by the city of Boulder, not the grocers, to reduce plastic trash. And, since Target sells groceries, as well as everything else, one must purchase (or bring) a bag, even if you're buying underwear...  (That's my only gripe!)
  It was in the mid-60s on Sunday, and it was 70 degrees here at 4 Monday afternoon.  Of course, we're expecting rain and snow this afternoon and evening...  March and April in Colorado is like taking a roller-coaster ride blindfolded; you go up and down, and are never quite sure what's going to happen next.  All of the domesticated animals and wildlife I see seem to be exhilarated by the signs of spring - trees and bushes are budding; snowdrops, daffodils, irises are starting to show green above the dead leaves and grasses.  I've seen several types of birds gathering items for nest building, and the red-winged blackbirds were singing their hearts out in the marshy areas along the foot path yesterday.  I guess that Spring will eventually arrive...
  Lovey and Nedi still chase and hiss at one another when they are running around playing - but they are occasionally sleeping together these days.  It's taken a long time, but I'm very happy.  They play and share food and water, but they have never cuddled with each other.  I think I might see that in the next few years.
  The other big news item in Boulder is that the County is holding meetings this week for anyone who lives on, or near, our huge creek system - Boulder Valley has at least 20 different streams and creeks that pour into it from the mountains.  After the big flood last September, which many people (and properties) are still recovering, it seems that we have a bumper crop of snow in the mountains.  This is good, because it is our drinking water for the rest of the year; it is bad because the creeks and streams have not recovered at all from the flooding this past fall.  Other than Boulder Creek, most streams and creeks here are seasonal - they are dry during fall and winter months, and for the last part of the summer.  Almost every single creek and stream has water running along its course right now, when it "should" be dry.  As we have 142 % of our annual snowpack up in the mountains, if we have high temperatures, and the snow melts rapidly, we could see September all over again.  So the County is calling folks to come to local meetings to discuss what will probably happen if we have more water than we can handle...  It will be an interesting spring in this semi-arid area!
  ~~~ On another note, if my husband were still alive, this would be his 66th birthday.  Jeffery Dale, I still love you and miss you.  I hope that you share all that I see, hear, read, think, and experience... especially the joys of your grandchildren!  ~~~

Montana Spring Photos

Spring in western Montana

Gallatin Heights, Montana

Fly fishing in Armstrong Spring Creek, Montana

Nearing the End of April

Only seven days left in April - and we've already had several days with the high temperatures in the 80s.  I knew that Spring had actually sprung yesterday, when I realized that there were white gobs of cottonwood seeds floating in the air, on the breeze.  (Cottonwoods usually produce their seeds in June.)  One of Kathy's neighbors' driveways, which has dark gravel on it, was almost completely covered by a layer of what looks like partially untwisted cotton-balls.  It's currently in the low 60s, and my kits have been prowling in and out the patio door since 6 a.m. - Lovey decided it was time for us to get out of bed at 5 this morning.  We've all had breakfast, and I've looked at the 6 newspapers I check (on-line) every morning, and I've read my 9 favorite comic strips.
   At Kathy's yesterday, I unwrapped her arm from her ace bandage and splint, and was horrified to see that she has new bruises on her arm, that follow the lines of her splint.  She already has a 3-inch-wide "bracelet" bruise around her upper arm, where the bone is broken.  These were parallel vertical and horizontal lines from her armpit past her elbow and down to her wrist.  I had her call her MD, and I'll drive her in to be seen this afternoon - that splint should not be causing more tissue damage!
    Brandi, my blind and deaf charge, who lives across the street from Kathy, is starting to visibly fail, according to her family.  I've spent 30 to 60 minutes with her the past several days, and, she seems not to have any pain, but she's just slowing down.  I also spoke with Lynn about her kitty boxes not being kept clean, by the house keeper (who is paid to do it) - the house keeper complained the kits had pooped on the rug, next to the litter boxes - and they had - but that was because the boxes were totally filled with clumped litter and more poop.  Rosie and Remy were great yesterday, but Remy's hind legs collapsed totally while he was exploring a flower bed at his house.  I acted like I hadn't noticed, and he got his legs back under himself.  And Kathy and I walked Boo around the neighborhood - Boo had gotten hot before the end of the walk, and I kept trying to encourage her to walk on the grass verge, but she wanted to trot down the middle of the asphalt road...  That seemed weird.

Happy Spring!

It's cloudy out this morning, and 46 degrees. We're expected to reach the 70s through Sunday, and then ... then, maybe, we'll get some rain and/or snow on Monday and Tuesday when the highs will be in the mid-40s (our normal high for this time of year). The kits had a bit of a scare this morning: apparently there is a small dog staying intermittently next door. Banichi and Lovey came roaring back inside this morning, with fur totally bushed; when I looked out, there was a small black dog on our patio. It also chased the squirrels around while I was watching.

I'll walk the Irish kids this morning and head over to Brandi's this evening. I don't have internet access at Brandi's so don't expect a lot of writing or e-mails from me - I'll only have access when I visit my kits here at home over the weekend. But it will be grand weather to stay with Brandi - and she is such a lovable dog (and she knows me well enough to cadge extra treats with just a sigh and a wrinkle of her eyebrows). Not much else going on out here... ex-CU professor Ward Churchill still has not taken the stand in his own defense in his civil suit against CU for unlawful firing; several professors from around the US and Canada have testified against him, and several have testified for him. It all boils down to plagiarism and falsification of sources charges: he claims he lost some of his notes for his sources and that he is a victim of a conspiracy that was headed by the previous Governor; colleagues at CU state (and have shown) that he copied sections of his books, word for word from other researchers' papers and that source citations did not/do not exist.... I find him an interesting man, but I believe that CU was correct in his firing.

At 5:44 this morning (MDST) Spring officially arrived with the vernal equinox - one of two days each year when light and darkness are in equal proportions. Today is also World Storytelling Day (in the northern hemisphere) and World Citizen Day. On this day, the Persian New Year (Nowruz) begins.