A rainy pre-spring day

I know that spring is just around the corner, but I hadn't realized how often I had been saying, "spring time is coming!" as I have been driving around with Nolan.  Because today after I said it, he immediately began singing, "Springtime is coming, it's coming today! For I heard a robin that was calling on it's way!" Followed by the second verse.  You know that primary song?  I had been singing that to him every day after I said that springtime was coming- I guess often enough that he learned it!  I had a little chuckle about that. It's been a rainy day, which ought to melt the snow and bring spring even faster!

one drowned muskrat trying to resist the mud. Boy have I got it coming!

But springtime really is on it's way!  I saw evidences of that today.  You know how winter is exciting for your kids for the first few months, but after that they just aren't really excited to get outside and play in the snow? Today, the kids wanted to be outside playing - in the puddles, mud AND snow. I think they could SMELL the great allure of spring!

Maddie and Caden had the job of grinding wheat, and were having a good time playing at the same time.

Another evidence of spring is that track season is just around the corner, starting in about two more weeks, I do believe.  Kami has been faithfully running around our loop every day after school for the last couple of weeks to get in shape -  five times back and forth until she's gone what we figure to be three miles. She loves to run!!

She usually goes just as I'm finishing dinner and getting it on the table and Shawn and I watch her from the window whenever she's running by and worry. Me: Is she as fast as she was last year? " S:Her gait doesn't look as smooth.  Me: Oh, that looks better!  S: Well, you've got to remember, she hasn't done anything all winter - she'll be fine." One comment is made per time that she runs by the window. Pathetic, I know.  Shawn has even gone outside to time her run and encourage her.

The final evidence of spring is that I keep seeing robins!  I have no picture of that, BUT I did get a picture of another kind of bird today.  Around 4:30, I happened to look out the window just as an owl flew up to the tip top of a tree in our neighbor's yard.  It had a mouse in it's beak!  It was broad daylight  -well it was a little overcast, so maybe it was confused.  Anyway, I called the kids and we all had a great time watching it.  (Caden grabbed his digital binoculars and took some cool pictures, but I can't find any of them on the computer now.) After awhile it flew off into our cottonwoods, and stayed there until dark.  For all I know it's still sitting there, and we just can't see it anymore.  It wasn't the least concerned about any of us.  I took this picture of it on the way out the driveway while I was driving Kami to mutual, and I was parked practically right beneath it! 

full body shot

After posing for us long enough for me to get these shots, it turned it's back on us.  Which I think Kami was pretty happy about since it was making her late. :) Anyone know what kind of owl it is?