You know it's spring because...

Whaddya mean 'unrelated'? When it's spring, you can finally hang out the laundry again. Tights are laundry, right? (Though, if you're gonna get into this sort of thing, you should know that bleach, detergent and dry cycles are the enemy of lycra. Get somma dat gentle soap girls use on their fancy unmentionables, and hang it to dry. The lycra, I mean.)

 

It's Spring, because the sap is running...

 

Whoops



You should have been a lot more clear on that sequence, before I scared the neighbors

 

With highs of +40 F and lows of +20 F, we're not quite at the freely running sap stage just yet

 

I'll show YOU how much sap is running ... and segway into a pretty dang clever "you know it's spring when ..." thingie. Here's the SAP ... not at the bottom of the tree ... the top!




" ... You know it's spring, when your neighbor's leaving for Hawaii means you can sneek into their yard, shinny up their damn sycamore tree without permission, to assure the 50 BILLION tons of leaves up at the top, won't be blocking out your solar panels, when the damn thing finishes blooming by end of April !!!

snip snip
sshhhhhh don't tell

Can you imagine my 53yr old, 6'-5" carcass falling from up there? I can see it now ... americas funniest home vid's

 

On a serious note, I sure hope your neighbor doesn't have video surveillance on his property, like I do

 

Sap running = neighbor jogging (or biking, or any other outdoor athletic activity)

I was referring to an old Minnesnowta joke...

 

That also applies to most of Canada

 

You know it's spring because it's after February 15, warm breezes fill the sails, wildflowers abound, pollen is palatable, and like Hyo, the bank account is bursting while the chains which have held me to my desk are loosening just in time for trips to Yosemite, Santa Barbara, Palm Springs and Albuquerque. Oh, and it's time to get those 'fall crops' in the ground. Greetings all.

 

What? Chained to my desk, certainly, but the bank account's bursting? I wish I had that problem. Maybe I said the river banks were bursting...

 

Down Evan's way I believe they call 'em, "noseeum's" ... or chiggers ... but whatever they are, you really can't see 'em



. . . . . but you "WILL" know they're there.

 

Gary, I had no idea you painted your toenails.

 

Chiggers are quite different than noseeum's. Chiggers unleash an enzyme that bores into the skin and leaves a big hole that itches like crazy. It's like a mosquito bite x10. At least they don't fly.

Noseeum's are biting mites that fly. They are no fun, but having been bit, stung, and attacked by just about every insect in North America (or it seems like it), chiggers are much nastier.

Now getting chomped on by a large praying mantis takes the cake. Not many can claim that honor.

 

Yeah Gary, downright sexy

 

Our huge nasty evil blackflies are pretty fun too

 

I am looking for a "no fly zone". Any ideas?

 

Yes. Move anywhere that gets real winter, and you won't be bothered by flies for months.