Rojo started wearing his flower costume yesterday

The signals of spring are much different here than in California. I was just IMing with a friend in the Bay Area who is enjoying the 75 degree weather in shorts and a tank top. Meanwhile, I am lounging in a sweater and slippers, sipping raspberry hot chocolate, watching it drizzle at 48 degrees, and trying desperately to remember what 75 degrees feels like. As I cling to the hope of sunny, tulip-filled days ahead, I have to remember that we have our own ways of noticing spring’s arrival around Woodhaven. And interestingly, they all involve animals. Much to your surprise, llamas aren’t among them (well, aside from the title).

• The frogs, they are back. Loud, croaky, and quite lovely to listen to while warming in a hot tub at night. They are one of our earliest signs of spring and they returned about a week ago.


• As my Facebook friends already know, a few days ago I was startled by the sight of a camel licking one of its pasture-mates. Yes, a camel. And no, it wasn’t licking another camel. It was licking a sheep. The camel is unusual enough – even after a few years of driving past it, I still get excited every time I see it. And I am thrilled for friends who just bought a house to which directions include “turn at the street across from the camel.” How cool is that?!? But to see this landmark camel licking a sheep almost caused me to drive into a ditch. I couldn’t tell if it was grooming or flirting. But since both animals seemed to be enjoying the activity, I’m thinking love – and therefore spring -- is in the air.


• Apparently trying to head home from wintering further south, a wayward duck was recently captured down the hill a bit. I’m distressed I didn’t witness this myself because, well, I live for goofy countrified stuff like this. Rob called me as soon as he got cell coverage to report he had to stop for a redneck neighbor who had abandoned his bike in the street and looked to be in the ditch. Just as Rob was about to investigate, the neighbor emerged carrying a live duck. But he was carrying the bird by its body, not its neck, so it’s not clear if the duck was dinner or a newly acquired pet. Either way, this was just par for the course for Knickerland – another story for another time – and another indication that we’re all getting a little stir crazy from the snowy winter and spring is about to be fully sprung.


• The warmer weather always beckons us outside. In the suburbs, that comes in the form of walkers, bicyclists, perhaps a roller blader or two. Here in the boonies, it means saddling up your horse and taking it for a trot down a major rural road. I came across a couple doing just this on my way home today. Since it’s been a full year since the horses have been allowed to hit the asphalt, they seemed a little freaked by the pastured cows and horses on either side of them, not to mention the occasional non-farmy vehicle zipping by. The riders looked calm and happy and not the least bit concerned that the persistent drizzle might put out their cigarettes. It was very odd to see people smoking while riding their horses. Almost as odd as seeing a camel licking a sheep. But I suppose that whole Marlborough Man thing must have started somewhere.