Yesterday was a most unusual day — the morning dawned it’s typical grey and cold self. A tiny ray of pink sunlight as the mighty sun rose over the Paonia Mountains then quickly disappeared behind thick heavy clouds. Although, the temperature said we weren’t freezing, just above, the air was very chilled.
Still Terry and I took the dogs and the four-wheelers out to check on the fences and see how many little calves have made their arrival. (So far there are four-no photos as of yet).
The ground was a tick bog of nasty, soft mud so we didn’t go out on-to the land, staying on the farm and ditch roads. Tracks across farming ground right now would make huge (AND I MEAN HUGE) ruts – plus pack the ground in the middle of the ruts.
Closer to lunch a soft gentle breeze sprung-up fresh from the snowbanks on the Uncompahgre (Un-come-pah-gray, accent on the “pah”), the breeze intensified as the hour wore on moving into kite flying strength, after that a true fast moving wind…someone told Terry that he heard it was moving at 28 m.p.h. I have no way of knowing; yet it did clear our skies of all the heavy, low-laying clouds!
By four o’clock in the afternoon we had glorious blue skies completely free of any clouds! Who could stay in the house with that to look upon?
Out we went, the dogs, Terry, and I to relish this delightful site.
It felt like SPRING! Just a hint of spring, but enough to know that the switch has occurred! Somewhere, at some poin,t the earth creaked and groaned and inched itself up and over just a tad to take off the edge of winter.
While we were about we saw hundreds and hundreds of Canada Geese, way, way up in the sky gathering and gathering and gathering….no v formed for some time. It was like the call had gone out…”IT IS TIME! Gather your self, your family, and all your belonging and head to the north! Warmth is coming back to the land! Come, Come–let us all go home!”
(I couldn’t get a photo of all of them, there were just too many)
We watched as they flew up from the earth then gathered together, honking and talking about who is to lead, then breaking into several V shapes–always going higher and higher until we couldn’t hear them anymore.
Then they became tiny dots winging their way home—home to the north—home!
I’m sure we still have some left here and the Sandhill Cranes waiting for another signal, but for now…those that left flung themselves up into the sky with joy knowing that along the way they will stop and rest once more waiting for the signal that spring is getting even closer at their breeding grounds way up North from us!
Then we noticed that just today the willows were showing sap running back into their grey limbs and the red-twig bushes were showing even more life, moving along we saw they green of the winter wheat and how the cattle were favoring those fields the most.
Yes, Spring is coming! For Sure! The land and the animals and the birds have announced the return of warmth and lessening of cold!
Your very happy friend,
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 
I looked around my garden this morning and sure enough there were buds on every shrub. Life gets so exciting. Its like opening Xmas presents, that excited feeling you get deep down
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I hope those Canada Geese didn’t go too far…it is snowing here. Maybe they are headed for Nebraska! What fun for you to have an almost spring!! 🙂
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It sounds as if you had a wonderful taste of Spring. We also had a taste of Spring yesterday, and we’re supposed to be in the 50s and 60s all week. Hooray!
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i’ve been hearing and seeing a lot of geese flocks flying north, too. and we’re definitely getting spring here in ne tx this week. 🙂
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Spring is trying here too, but is a way off yet. The snow as turned into lakes and rivers…the coulees are all running water. And today we have wind…again.
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The days are getting longer too!!! I am so excited! 🙂 20 days until daylight savings, 31 days until spring!!! YEAH!
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Linda, I can’t believe what I’m seeing! I looked up in the sky over Milan today, while taking my morning walkabout, and what did I see? Very much the same thing. Not Canada geese, but birds flying north in an ever shifting semi-V. And I knew, just like you, SPRING IS COMING!!!
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And we are ALL ready for the spring arrival!!
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Beautiful! You are way ahead of us.
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Yay!!! Yes for me the Geese tell its getting warmer and spring is ready to be sprung at us. I love to watch them up there trying to keep those V’s in shape and the noise, I love to listen to them yelling at each other. I havent seen that yet here in Oregon, but I am sure it wont be long now. I am on the lookout for the hummingbirds, when I see them come in…then for sure spring is here…and the buzzards, if I see them flying up in the sky and circling over some dead thing on the road or field then for sure it has arrived…the warmth, longer days and more sunshine.
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I wish those geese were coming to my field. They like to leave me little candies on the grass! Yum! I think the candies are called don’t-you-dare-eat-that…..
Love and licks,
Cupcake
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Geese, here, too. I heard wild swans headed north yesterday morning, too. Now I am waiting for that first whiff of Spring. Can you smell it yet?
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Your post is like a lyric poem to spring, Linda. I got my first bouquet of camellias out of the yard today. Yes, it won’t be long…
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Happy approach of spring!
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We have some of those (HUGE) ruts in our yard. Hubby needs to get the driveway extended.
For two days we saw hundreds and hundreds of geese/swans, now nothing. I think the groundhog was wrong. 🙂
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There’s a lot to be happy about. I love the shots of the Canada geese – they obviously know something, and spring is certainly in the air. That must be such a relief for you.
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Isn’t it fun to see those little signs of SPRING???? They do give us HOPE…. We have some spring bulbs trying to pop up now…. We have had a very cold winter this year (Jan/Feb) —-so I’m sure that things will be late blooming this year. There was a note on our calendar saying that the first Crocus bloomed today –in 2012 I think…. Won’t happen this year!
Hugs,
Betsy
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Lovely lovely post LInda… how magic your spring sounds…those tiny significant signs to let you know the worst is over !!!
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There’s a saucer magnolia in a yard near Angel’s school…I noticed last week that the buds are beginning to swell. Come on, Spring! You can do it! 🙂
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Hope spring is moving to S IN, it was very nasty yesterday with rain on top of lots of snow and this am there are huge frozen ice ruts. It has been a hard winter.
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Hooray life is good! Isn’t it amazing how the geese and other migrating birds get that signal and just go…. I never get over marveling at that. So neat to see.
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Wow! Nice collection of visitors here. Your blog is always a great place to catch up on the latest farm news. Great photos! Yes, I think the worst of winter is over. We’ve had melting here and a few flocks of Canada geese moving through like necklaces in the sky. There are a few flocks of Sandhills who nest here too. Looking forward to seeing them and all the other birds who went south.
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Oh happy day!
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AMEN!!!!!
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