A long hiatus

March 2015 definitely came in like a lion around here, though the "going out like a lamb" part remains to be determined. March has been a busy month, between helping students cope with snow days, illnesses, and a variety of personal crises, constantly revising lesson plans, and--oh yes--moving.

Yes, we have now officially left Chipmunk Ridge, though the property has not yet found a buyer, so we will be going back for a while (and besides, there are still a couple of closets' worth of "stuff" to be gone through--so we need a little time). We are enjoying the new space, which is very Seventies (not my usual aesthetic, but I do love the big windows and all the natural light) and in one of my favorite locations. I can literally walk to everything I normally do--except work, that pesky thing necessary to most of us.

Not many of the plants put in last fall have done anything yet, though daffodil leaves are emerging and at least one of the grasses is showing a green shimmer, so we are hoping that roots got put down before this winter's cold set in. If everything lives, our small yard will be a showstopper.

The critters are already making their presence known. It took about two hours for the neighborhood chickadees to find the sunflower seed feeder, and they have now been joined by cardinals, titmice, and house finches. Unfortunately, a cat has been spotted hanging out in the side yard maple, but we will hope that he hangs out less often as the human activity increases.

Then this morning brought a real welcome-to-the-neighborhood: a pileated woodpecker leisurely making its way up the lawn strip tree looking for insects. Having gone fifty-five years before seeing one of these handsome creatures, I did not expect to see one in the middle of town and am taking its presence as a positive sign. We can indeed share our spaces with interesting and beautiful non-human life.