STOP! LOOK! LISTEN!

Spring is definitely in the air, and I don't mean just the bright sunshine and warmer weather.  I heard spring today.   

I've noticed on my walks this winter that I really wasn't hearing anything.  Yes, the planes were still taking off and landing, and the traffic was still heavy on Cedar Avenue, but both those sounds are just background noises.  It's something that I'm so used to, that I hardly notice them.   But what I really noticed was that the birds were missing.  I'd hear the occasional crow, but where were the others?  There are a lot of songbirds that winter here, but I've been surprised at how quiet they've been, even with the very mild weather.  But this morning I noticed it, as soon as I opened the door to get the paper in,  I heard them!  Joyful bird noises.  I heard them all around the lake today as well.   Chickadees, sparrows, cardinals.  I heard a woodpecker too.

I spotted a pair of Cardinals hopping around in this tangle of scrub.  I couldn't catch the female, she blended in too well to focus on.

I heard lots of other sounds too.   The rustling of dried leaves still hanging on the trees.   Dog tags!  There were many more dogs taking their people for walks today.   A 10 month old lab threw her collar and rushed over to give me a sloppy kiss.  Good thing I'm not afraid of dogs!  I heard Feet!  Lots of joggers and runners out today, along with the walkers,  and they all sound different.  Some shuffle, barely bringing their feet off the ground, others thump, hard.  I heard the rustling of  nylon wind pants.   The panting of some, and the easy rhythmic breath of others.  One woman runner I barely heard.  She almost floated.  Her pace was very smooth and easy and quiet.   I heard squirrels chasing each other up and down and around tree trunks, their claws scraping the bark.   I heard a little girl excitedly yell "grandpa" as she saw her grandparents coming to join her family on their walk, while her little brother was running in the other direction yelling "puppy" and chasing a pug.  I heard wheels going round - bike wheels, stroller wheels, car wheels.   I thought I heard the trickle of water, but I think maybe that was just wishful thinking, but soon........
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