Spring made a quick appearance a few weeks ago with the blooming of flowers…

A couple of weeks ago I happened to be standing on Jeffery’s balcony enjoying the sunshine when a hummingbird flew by. I stood there watching it for a few minutes when it suddenly flew within just a couple of feet of my face. It’s a little freaky to have a hummingbird that close… sounds like a very large bee! I tried to stand really still to see what it would do. It flew off, but kept coming back. After about a half hour of this it finally landed in the tree next to the balcony. I took a close look and saw there was a nest. I couldn’t see any babies but, by the next day there was a small beak peaking over the top.

I have been watching it now for a couple of weeks and trying to get some photos. Being that the nest is hiding behind pine needles it has been a little difficult.

There are two babies, but I have only been able to get the one in pictures. This is one of the newborns … looking pretty ugly:

The momma feeding her babies:

This is from today. It is hard to see the baby as it seems to be blending in better with the nest now.

So with all of this new life it would seem like spring is definitely here. But then last night we had a very late storm and I woke up to this beautiful sight this morning. I am enjoying every last bit of cold weather we get because I know the heat of summer is coming:

Have you ever observed a hummingbird moving about in an aerial dance among the flowers – a living prismatic gem…. it is a creature of such fairy-like loveliness as to mock all description.
~ W.H. Hudson

I think one of the things I love most about the rain is the day immediately following. You can walk outside and see the sun slowly making an appearance over the horizon. Not too far away the mountains are covered with fresh snow. The snow looks pink, then gold, and finally white. Those days are few and far between around here… already the snow has started to melt… but when they are here I try very hard to take advantage of them. I’m hoping for a lot more rain this winter.

We can never have enough of nature. We must be refreshed by the sight of inexhaustible vigor, vast and titanic features, the sea-coast with its wrecks, the wilderness with its living and its decaying trees, the thunder-cloud, and the rain.

~ Henry David Thoreau

I was able to spend a few days in Utah right after Christmas with family. I love it out there. It’s so peaceful, especially in winter when there is snow on the ground. Everything looks and smells so clean and fresh. Unfortunately the day after we arrived I hurt my leg and couldn’t walk much, so I spent a lot of hours putting together jigsaw puzzles and watching Arrested Development on dvd (if you have to sit around watching TV I highly recommend this show). I definitely did not get to take as many pictures as I would have liked, but it was a good trip nonetheless. It is always great to see family and sometimes I need to be forced to sit down and do nothing once in a while.

I hope you all have a wonderful new year and that you live life to the fullest at every moment…