Waiting.....

Two weeks ago, Punxatawny Phil predicted the end of winter. Since then, we have had a day or two of fifty-degree weather, but 25-degree mornings are not spring. Thirty-degree afternoons are not spring. I am ready for spring. (Yes, I know it's only the middle of February, way too early for spring at this latitude.)

Luckily, today brought intermittent sun, and I had library books due, so off I went in search of signs of spring. We had the first snow crocus open last weekend,

but I was hoping for natives, so the library jaunt included a meander through the Parkersburg arboretum. Unfortunately, the only native

plant with visible green was Christmas fern, which was no real surprise. It looks as if folks in our part of the world will have to wait a while for spring color. 

Or maybe not. Looking out the plant window at home, I saw a quite colorful cardinal, who of course refused to hold still long enough to have his picture taken, but this lovely lady was showing off her stripes while nibbling on safflower seed.

And her companion, this handsome fellow, has quite enough color to help a person combat the winter blahs. Maybe we don't need to head south for the winter. (But I did read this morning that the hummingbirds and painted buntings are visiting yards in Miami right now.)