Too Soon

I hope it isn’t too soon to blip another red squirrel but two hop around the front of the house like little monkeys most every day. Up and down hard packed snowbanks, lilac trees, over rock walls they go, stopping long enough for any seeds and nuts they can find on the ground. How wonderful to have their boundless energy! Plus, they’re darned cute! • My thrill of the day was spotting a bird I’ve never seen before. It isn’t rare to Maine but they have never visited our yard. It was a female red-winged blackbird, and it isn’t even black. At first I thought she was a sparrow because she’s mostly brown but with pretty markings. I saw my one and only male red-winged blackbird a couple of years ago while visiting a favorite local pond. She didn’t stay long but there were two. Maybe one will return tomorrow for a photo op :) • Happy Monday to you all! I hope we have a happy, healthy and peaceful week ahead. A bitter cold arctic blast arrives at the end of the week. I’ll have so many layers on I’ll look like Ralphie’s little brother in The Christmas Story :))