Spring Is Coming

[Israel Hands]

It'll reach 80 here in Eastern NC today. The birds were chirping loudly at dawn this morning. The Bradford pears are just starting to blossom, and the red oaks have been causing people sinus distress for a couple of weeks.  Our neighborhood is on the lookout for ospreys to return any day now from their South American odyssey. Spring is about to roar in.

 

[slap]

About two weeks to when I start working on the boat.

 

[Jud - s/v Sputnik]

Spring is coming.

Word of the day: rasputitsa” (Russian: распу́тица).

“Rasputitsa” is a Russian term for two seasons of the year, spring and autumn, when travel on unpaved roads or across country becomes difficult, owing to muddy conditions from rain or melting snow. "Rasputitsa" also refers to road conditions during both periods. (Napoleon’s and Hitler’s invasions of Russia were heavily influenced by weather conditions - the Nazi advance especially got bogged down by “rasputitsa”.)

A fascinating Twitter thread today on why the huge Russian military convoy currently  approaching Kyiv has been halted.  A former US Army truck maintenance and tire specialist (it’s a thing, seriously) briefly explains the tire-related maintenance/breakdown issues the massive Russian Army appears to be facing.  Actually, a quite interesting read. Incredible - I love the Internet!

https://mobile.twitter.com/TrentTelenko/status/1499164245250002944

 

[Santanasailor]

Nice temps this week, going to be cooler next week but the lowest high is predicted to be 58 and that’s a rain day.  

Getting work done on Anna Eleise.  Have all the old paint ground off of the keel and the hurricane damage to the keel is as mitigated as I could possibly do without creating a mold and pouring a new keel edge.  Getting the supports for the cockpit ready to bond.  Its been good.  Also getting some wood work done. Been a good week.  

Finally training for the two Senior Olympic Time Trials I am entered in later this spring.  

 

[Israel Hands]

Eighty-two here today. Pear tree has blossoms and a half-dozen ospreys are doing kamikaze swoops over the water. Spring has come roaring in.

 

[Bull City]

March: In like a lion, out like a lamb.

Mrs. Bull has yard work planned for me tomorrow. Moving dirt from where it is perfectly content to where she wants it. 

 

[bmiller]

March is usually our snowiest month, right its coming down pretty good with temps in the teens. Yep, its spring!

 

[Kris Cringle]

More than anything, it's a few specific birds that hale spring here on this coast. Not the usual suspects - waterfowl - that seem to always be in transit or resting along the way. 

From a window I noticed a flock of Robins this week. They came out of the blue (literally) and descended on a few dormant fruit trees that clung to freeze dried berries. Over-fluffed for the cold and underfed, those trees are life savers right now. 

And always a pair, maybe two, of large hawks. Those two species are my sirens of spring. They get my attention. Now the usual suspects will fly in one by one. 

 

[accnick]

This is about the time of year when big flocks of robins stop at our house for a few hours to water up, rest, and grab a bite on their way back north.

Haven't seen them yet, but we are getting large flocks of other migratory birds right now.

Don't know how they know we have a big birdbath full of water, but they do. We have to refill it several times an hour when the robins arrive. They are a noisy bunch.

 

[130lights]

The past few days have been above freezing enough to de-ice the channel, then today we get this.  No Robins coming this week, just more snow.

Lake Michigan channel

 

[Santanasailor]

No Robins here, not many birds except the water birds.  Had a couple of wood ducks on the lawn this morning and of course great blue heron fishing off of the seawall.  The Herons and Egrets stay here year round (as well as the Bald Eagles)  

However, the temps are much cooler today and rain and some cold predicted for this week.  Boat work stops in the rain and everything else moves indoors.  

 

[Diarmuid]

In like a polar bear; out like a steaming pile of digested seal meat.

It's up to 8°F now. We might get above freezing next Saturday.

 

[toddster]

Remember all those projects that were supposed to get done “over the winter”…?

And taxes…

:wacko:

 

[accnick]

No Robins here, not many birds except the water birds.  Had a couple of wood ducks on the lawn this morning and of course great blue heron fishing off of the seawall.  The Herons and Egrets stay here year round (as well as the Bald Eagles)  

However, the temps are much cooler today and rain and some cold predicted for this week.  Boat work stops in the rain and everything else moves indoors.  

View attachment 496328

The male wood duck is as handsome a bird as you can find anywhere. We used to live in a place called Wood Duck Island.

 

[Ajax]

Remember all those projects that were supposed to get done “over the winter”…?

And taxes…

:wacko:

I got mines done. The boat is ready NOW.

 

[Slick470]

It's warmed up enough here that the trees have started dropping pollen and I have a sinus headache today. Haven't started boat projects yet. 

 

[cyclone]

No Robins here, not many birds except the water birds.  Had a couple of wood ducks on the lawn this morning and of course great blue heron fishing off of the seawall.  The Herons and Egrets stay here year round (as well as the Bald Eagles)  

However, the temps are much cooler today and rain and some cold predicted for this week.  Boat work stops in the rain and everything else moves indoors.  

View attachment 496328

I so miss seeing wood ducks up here along with the Kestrels. I’m told they’re around but not for my eyes.

 

[Jud - s/v Sputnik]

Remember all those projects that were supposed to get done “over the winter”…?

Yes - I suffered over the winter, working at the top of the mast many days and nights in a row after work, and many weekends, so that I don’t have to do it when the weather is good!  (Sounds backwards, I know...).  I’m not the type to wear a hair shirt, but I have the last two winters (electric windlass upgrade last winter; sails and rigging this one).  
 

Next winter I think I’ll do something fun and build a small boat for R2AK .  I’m thinking an Angus Row Cruiser...how hard could it be

 

[Jud - s/v Sputnik]

Remember all those projects that were supposed to get done “over the winter”…?

Yes - I suffered over the winter, many days and nights in a row, and many weekends, working at the top of the mast so that I don’t have to do it when the weather is good!  (Sounds backward, I know...). I’m not the type to wear a hair shirt, but I have the last two winters (electric windlass upgrade last winter; sails and rigging this one).  
 

Next winter I think I’ll do something fun and build a small boat for R2AK .  I’m thinking an Angus Row Cruiser...how hard could it be