It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

When it's springtime in Alaska, it's 40 below.  Well, 25 above anyway.

11

 It was that kind of day John Fogarty sang about.  You know, the one about put me in coach, I'm ready to play, today, look at me, I can be, center field.  Of course that was all predicated on there being new grass on the field, which in my yard is covered by eight inches of April snow.

Even the date and the unusual snowfall couldn't take away from the beauty of the day. It struck me as so beautiful I ran outside in my boots and underwear to take that picture at the top.  Good thing neighbors' views are blocked by lots of trees.  Even the one house in view is far enough away I doubt if anyone saw me they could figure out what I was wearing in the short time it took to snap the picture.  If they did they can probably chalk it up to the crazy old guy who lives across the street alone. 

The birds apparently enjoyed it too.  There were more redpolls in the yard than I have seen at one time all winter, which if you read this blog at all you know was a huge year for the little buggers.  They cleaned me out again and I had to go get another bag, the 11th this year.  So, so far, including some smaller bags I bought here and there, they have gone through almost 500 pounds of feed all told.

Even the drive was beautiful.  It gave me a chance to test the SPOT again.  That's the map -- my drive to the store and back.  And of course, along the way there are random thoughts.  These are the ones I remember:  

         

I find the most opinionated people to be the ones who disagree with me.

... and this one after learning the Kansas legislature has put the time life begins at conception:

Happens every time you think you have an original idea.

As Republicans go farther back in the conception process to define when life begins, I am beginning to think life begins in that beer I was drinking when I met her.  So, life, like a whole lot of good stories begins with a beer.  Works for me.

And tonight?  Tonight?  As the TV blares I am about to turn the south-facing windows into a greenhouse and begin the growth that will be the garden by Memorial Day.  You know pictures of that are coming.