The buds on the willows are turning from their silvery- soft- velvet- rabbits- feet stage to the fluffy- Dr. Suess-ish truffula tree- lime green- over sized jelly bean stage.  I can see the whorls of orange red flowers on the tops of the maples.  I can see the red fog of all of them when I look at the hills.  The leaves on the ground are no longer clumps of cold, black ice, the last bit of snow under the over hang of my garage is almost completely gone.  The sound of rain, oh my goodness the sound of sweet rain on the windows has arrived.

And with that rain…

(excuse the blurry shot- just too cute, and take note of the frozen ice in the pond… over zealous fisherman they are!)

We have had to batten down the hatches due to a high fever in the house and it has kept us indoors much to our dismay.  But yesterday around four o clock, I truly couldn’t take it anymore.  I put a movie on for the three boys (Fireman Sam for those curious… to them that is the ONLY show), and I strapped Willow up on my back an walked through the rain to the mailbox.  When we rounded the corner to the pasture the wind really picked up, as always does, and I tried to shield her face from the prickly blasts of rain by holding up the bottom of my jacket.  I was able to peek back at her and much to my surprise and found her eyes closed, two tooth grinning with her nose directly in the wind- just like a dog in the car.  I guess she wanted out to.  I put down my coat and let my girl eat her cake.  Of course there was only junk mail, but you know the trip was worthwhile anyhow.