For a short time there was a feeling…

For a short time, there was a feeling and a scent of spring.  At 32 degrees the three cats went out for a short time on the east patio.  With the snowbanks that border the patio it’s much like a play pen.  Which of these three critters is brave enough to take the leap up and over not knowing what lies beyond?  None today.  Red Cardinals sat in the lilac bushes and took in the antics of the cats, knowing full well, there was no threat today. 

Clearing the patio of the new snow we received overnight can seem like an effort in futility, but it brings good exercise.  Neighbor Jan must have seen my red stocking cap sticking up above the snowbanks as she came out.  The two of us had a great visit, not across the backyard fence, but across snowbanks.  Jan asked where we were getting our shell corn for the deer.  As it was, when Randy had been called out for repairs for John Deere during the combine season, he carried with him buckets in the truck when it was corn harvest.  When it called for portions of the combine to be cleared, Randy collected the corn. The deer from our backyards have been privy to his stash, which was now depleted.  Randy went to Fleet and Farm and bought what they had on hand today, which was cracked corn.  The deer came early today.  It was the first time I have seen them come at 4:30.  They know the weather is changing.  

The warm temps today allowed for me to clear the ice that had built up right outside our backdoor.  In the last days, if you walked on it, an ice pack had been created.  Not to worry, as spring weather comes, we are ready for it or not.  Both Jan and I commented on what each of us would be in for.  In her case it was seepage in their basement.  For Dennis and me, it will be having the little red pickup sit in the driveway for a time as we move everything out of the patio porch and put it in the pickup garage.  We have done it before and have the evacuation down to a science.  It’s all part of living in Minnesota, taking it the way it comes.