"Deer!" is the word she whispered this morning as we started walking through the woods. We both stopped to watch. For the first time, the deer did not run away; they stayed where they were and then started walking toward the creek. There were four of them, apparently all female as there wasn't an antler to be seen. As we continued on our way, the "spotter" determined that they were two moms and two young girls.

A little farther along it was "cat!" Again, said in hushed tones. This cat is black and not the most social of beasts. We think we saw the same cat Sunday afternoon after S crashed on her bike. A search for the cat left me thinking that she had just imagined it or that it had been a squirrel; the cat had completely disappeared. Yet, there he was again this morning... and again he vanished.

It was a morning of discovery as she also found the first trees in bloom! Beautiful and delicate pink blossoms popped yesterday evening/overnight... cherry trees or pear, we don't know... but the are beautiful. Flowers are starting to decorate the landscape with additional color. The neighborhood seems to have changed in a matter of days!

We did not see our cat friends, Charlie and Jack, who are quite thrilled to see us. They whined around our legs, allow themselves to be scratched, insist on being pet, and delight in showing us their tummies. Charlie likes to lay in the middle of the warm street. This drives S crazy.

Despite the cool temperature today, spring is definitely in the air... birds chirping, deer wandering, cats frolicking, and the trees are starting to bud. By week's end... spring will have begun... and in this part of the country, it will last through June until summer's heat and humidity arrive.