Mother Nature Can't Make Up Her Mind

Mother Nature is playing games this spring.

We'll run along with triple digit temps for several days, then suddenly we'll get a cool front. The other morning, I put on a ski cap, gloves, and jacket for my morning walk, when just a day or two earlier I had gone out in shorts.

But I'm thankful. I hate when it warms too early and then stays warm. It surely makes for a long, hot summer when that happens.

Driveway art down the street from our house. Looks like someone had a visit from some creative and talented grandkids. The old people here at RCW aren't able to get down on their hands and knees to do this type of work. And if they could get down, they would need a crane or wench to get back up.

It has really been dry out here lately, and the yards are drying up and the ground is cracking. The sprinkler system in our section of RCW is not working, so we're hoping they will get it repaired soon. We did get a third of an inch a couple of nights ago, but when it is this dry, that little bit just doesn't help much at all. We have a good chance of rain tomorrow (Friday), so maybe we will get lucky.

One of the positive things of this pandemic -- and there are several positives that I see -- is that quite a few people in our neighborhood are walking. People who have never walked before -- at least, not since we've lived here -- are now taking short walks around the neighborhood. Folks are stopping to visit with neighbors during their walks. It has a nice old-fashioned quality about it, sort of like when I was a youngster and people would get out more.

I snapped this photo a few days ago. I love the yucca. I'm not sure of the other plant, but it may be a Mexican Bird of Paradise. We have several of each in the neighborhood. 

Construction on the new medical facility near the entrance to RCW continues. It's a pretty big project. There are days when they are doing a lot of digging and the wind is doing a lot of blowing and the entire neighborhood gets a coating of dirt. You'd think we were up around Lubbock or somewhere on the South Plains.

One section of a cinder block wall rising from the ground. 

I hope you were fortunate enough to see the most recent full moon. It was a real beauty. The picture below does not do it justice. I must get a better camera with a good zoom. I keep hoping Santa will come through, but that fat rascal continues to disappoint. 

Full moon in the morning sky.

The moon has still been fairly high in the sky during my early morning walks, and it has been nice to have it guiding me around the neighborhood. It was down to half this morning, but higher in the sky.

The martins have been a real bother lately. They are each year. They like to roost anywhere they can -- such as on the light fixture above the front door, on the ceiling fan on the patio, or anywhere else they can find -- and they make a real mess. We've tried various tricks to discourage them, especially from building their nasty nests, but they are pretty aggressive little pests. They do a great job of eating insects, but they just make a real mess of things.

I hope all of you are doing well. Stay safe and be smart; there appear to be an abundance of morons out there during these challenging times.