Last year, while I was gone to Gabe's party, we had a huge ice storm up here.  This year, I came home to an early spring.  All the trees are in bloom already.

I always look forward to and love the chartreuse green color of the new willow leaves. It is even better with the blue of the lake as a backdrop.

The beaver has left his mark.  It made me think he is counting off the days of quiet in the park before the summer crowds march in.

Such hard news for my friend Bonnie.  She had to say goodbye to her husband after months of caring for him with cancer.  So bittersweet, letting him be released from the cancer and now in heaven waiting for her, but wanting to keep him here too.  She and I spent a day together last week taking photos of a falls we have not been to before.  Shepherd's Dell.  

The last day of February was Jessi's birthday.  She still tells me how much she wishes I would have picked the 29th to be her birthday.  I was able to pick the date, since it was a cesarean, and I gave it a lot of thought, really, I did.  I decided that I didn't want to have a leap year birthday for her.  I wanted her to have a real day every year.  Oh well, I picked the wrong one.   I can not believe that my youngest is now 35!!!  Like really, isn't that how old I am?  I can't say it enough how fast the years seem to be going by!