Entries to Win Afghan

Sign up to receive the Books Leaving Footprints Newsletter. Comes out occasionally. No spam. No list swapping. Just email me! jhyshark@gmail.com Previous gifts include a short story, a poem, and coupons. Add your name, and don't miss out!

Sunday, April 10, 2011

More Firsts this Year


Just another eclectic collection of spring joy. We got some rain, not nearly enough, but enough to set the birds to singing, and the grass seems to have become instantly green. Today I walked along the creek- first time since the snow melted. It's really too steep and slippery to hike there in winter.

water strider

This is the common water strider, Gerris remigis. There are actually over 10 kinds of these, but I've only ever seen two kinds. They can walk on water because they have tiny hairs on their feet that distribute the weight so they don't break the surface tension. I learned today that they eat other insects that fall on the water.

purple finch

This is the purple finch, Carpodacus purpureus, again, nothing unusual, but a cheerful sight, twittering around in the bush.



Finally, this was the first sighting of the year for Hangoutis clothus. They smell so good!


See Spring Promises


13 comments:

betchai said...

your post made me smile Sharkbytes, the clothes are out, indeed, they smell so good, spring is in the air :) and the purple finch is so lovely.

Duxbury Ramblers said...

Great photo of the finch - it's beautiful.
Hope it kept dry for the washing :)

Unknown said...

LOL! Thanks for chuckle this Monday morning - I love the "Hangoutis clothus"! I have not seen that particular sign of spring where I am, but I am glad to know the correct Latin term for it, LOL!

OLLIE MCKAY'S ~ A Chic Boutique said...

LOVE the clothes hanging on the clothes line! Brings back memories of long ago! My Mama always hung the clothes out to dry! We live in a townhome, so not able to do that here - I really miss the SMELL of clothes that were hung to dry outside!! They just ooze freshness!

vanilla said...

oh, yes. I miss the days of hanging and collecting clothes on the line. Gotta go. Must put washerload into dryer now. (not kidding)

Ann said...

Hangoutis clothus, that is hysterical. I haven't hung my clothes out in ages. I loved the smell but I hated towels that had been hung on the line.
Love the shot of the purple finch

Julia said...

You have the BEST clothes line. Mine is paltry in comparison. I need one like that!

Rick (Ratty) said...

Yay, a water strider! I've been watching for them. Last year seeing the first one seemed like a major sign of spring for me. So far I've found none.

Sharkbytes said...

betchai- smiling is good. There is no way so nice to dry clothes as outside in a breeze.

Carol- well, they were a tiny bit damp when I brought them in, but they dried overnight.

Carole- actually, any Latin scholars will tell you I got it backwards because the modifier should be second: Clothus hangoutis

Ollie- it's such a shame that many people can't hang out their laundry any more.

vanilla- I propose solar dryers for all (clotheslines). I once told someone that I had a solar dryer, and they got all excited about my trendy high-tech commitment. hahahaha

Ann- I actually like the roughness. It feels "real," but if there is a nice breeze they get soft.

Julia- I built it myself! Had to be able to do clothes outside!

Ratty- Spring is really slow in coming this year. Every tiny indicator is welcomed eagerly. When I put up today's post about the poor quince bush, I realized how late we are... it was in full flower just 11 days from today, but last year.

Ferd said...

Great shot of the purple finch!
And I got a little chuckle from the Hangoutis! LOL

Secondary Roads said...

Great shot of the purple finch. I used to see them on my lunch hour walks when working in Connecticut. Back home in Michigan, I see mostly his cousin the house finch around here.

Glynis Peters said...

Love the pics! The finch looks like the Linnet living in our garden.

I love the smell of linen off of the line. I am lucky, I can hang mine out 90% of the year.

Sharkbytes said...

Ferd- That was one of those lucky shots. The finch held still and I took several shots- the camera actually focused on the bird for one of them.

Chuck- we get both, and I have a dickens of a time remembering how to tell them apart.

Glynis- the linnet is rosy? is it a kind of finch? It IS a treat to hang clothes out so much.