early signs of spring

sunrise:  6:42

I could tell as soon as I walked out my bedroom door this morning that skunk season had begun.  Had to check around outside before I let the dogs come out with me.  This is much better than another not uncommon scenario where we let the dogs out and realize a few seconds later that there is a skunk in the area.

We've done tomato juice baths, white vinegar and water baths, and now I use "SkunkKleen," or some such thing.  But I follow almost all with a Head and Shoulders shampoo.  The result is that the smell of Head and Shoulders inevitably makes me think of skunks and dogs.

More signs of spring:  two mallard couples on the pond today - or maybe one male with three females.  They flew away again too fast when Clara discovered their presence.  One female put up a storm of quacking protest until I left the scene entirely.

And I am starting to walk through spider lines here and there around the trees and between fence posts.

The temperature was over 40 before I went out today.  Warmest day yet by a long shot.