The Equinox is next week, and then, maybe, it will stop snowing. But that was not today. It’s a good thing we can maintain a sense of humor this time of year. The good thing about snowfalls this time of year is that, generally speaking, they don’t actually stick to much of anything and just look pretty when they are falling. We really want our driveway to be free of snow and ice.
![grouse-in-bush1](http://mtnmacaw.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/grouse-in-bush1.jpg)
This hen grouse has been hanging around in the Serviceberry bush next to the house. She takes big steps over low lying branches.
She looks surprised with her crest sticking straight up. I guess that is a normal state of mind for these little guys.
![grouse-in-bush2](http://mtnmacaw.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/grouse-in-bush2.jpg)
She's in fine feather - a very pretty bird, and much admired by the male Ruffed Grouse in the neighborhood.
Yesterday we had to make a trip to town to take care of various and sundry chores. While we were there, we stopped by a pet store to get Mishkin a new scratching post. He’s so adverse to changes in his world we weren’t sure he would like it.
We needn’t have worried.
Happy cat. We put his toys inside the tunnel and he fishes them out again and flings them around the livingroom. And there was much rejoicing. We also brought home some hanging chew toys for the parrots. Opal has actually played with hers. The other two are pretending the toys are deadly intruders, but in the morning when they wake up, they will have forgotten the toys are ‘new’ and they will proceed to destroy them. Good birds!
There are no green leaves on any of the bushes around the mountain. Even down in the valley there are only buds. But the buds are getting fatter, so that’s definitely progress.
Spring, next week….