Flashback to 1982

I am still in the process of sorting and organizing.  I should be ashamed of myself for tucking so many things away in different places.  I will blame it on the three moves between 1995 and 1998 and putting “stuff” into storage several times.

Yesterday I found a piece of heavy cardboard in a drawer, tucked inside were many old 8 x 10 photos. Now they are on my desk to be scanned. They will make good blast from the past blog fodder.

We gathered at the top of the hill overlooking Straight Lake at my parents resort (Bass Bay).   Mom had hired the cranky old photographer from town.  He really didn’t take his time to get good photos.

The year was 1982.  At this time my parents had six grandchildren. My Mom is holding Katie (6 months old) and Dad is holding Benjamin (2 months old).  Jennifer (age 7) is sitting uncomfortably on the edge of the two lawn chairs.  Trica has her eyes closed (age 10).  Our dog Snuffer is running around someplace…irritating the photographer.

Back row: Julie (my sister), me, Far Guy, Jody (my other baby brother) She who sees Robin’s first with Josh (age 2), Beth and Carey(my baby brother) holding Kirk (not quite 2).
This summer will mark 35 years since this photo was taken.  It seems impossible…but the calendar doesn’t lie.

First Robins of Spring

Last evening while Far Guy was cooking another one of his gourmet meals and Chance was having a nap under the table, I glanced out the kitchen window. Low and behold.. Robins..the first ones I have seen this spring. They were poking around in my Day-lilies. I grabbed the camera and took a photo through the window.It is not the greatest quality photo but it is proof that at 6:38 PM .. I saw the first Robin! Far Guy said,"Who ya gonna call?" Well, that is quite obvious my Sister-In-Law! ( Mrs. She is always first seeing a Robin, sitting on her deck with my number on speed dial, just waiting to giggle and holler "I saw a Robin!) .. BUT I wanted to bask in my bird spotting skills for awhile first. Good thing too..when I finally did call her she said "I saw one earlier in the evening" ..we compared times.. and she was first again..she beat me by over an hour.

At least this year we got to see them on the same day. Last year her first Robin sighting was on April 05..mine was not until April 19. Two whole weeks separated us last year..this year mere hours.. next year is anyone's game!

I always try to keep track from year to year..what happens when. Keeping track of such things is called Phenology. The first robin, the first deer tick, the first Loons, this year I hope to add the first spring peepers to the list.. the first evening you go outside and the night air is filled with their mating calls..I wonder what they are really saying?? "It has been a long spring, you are beautiful..wanna fool around?" OR "Tired, headache, is that all you ever think about..you should have been a toad instead of a frog." Ah..the possibilities are endless:)