Ah, spring!

It hasn't snowed for several days. Do you think that means Spring is really here? I'm not betting on it.

There's a beaver pond beside the highway on the east end of Mancos. The other day I saw a snowy egret there for the first time. His form on departure is a study in aerodynamics.

Another hint that Spring is really here is the sinus infection I think I've got. It got me up at 1:30 a.m. a few mornings ago and last night I had a sneezing/dripping fit, even after taking some OTC sinus pills. Yuck!

We've been in a flurry of activity lately. Today I need to pick up the Casita in Durango, where it's had some repairs done, and take it up to Bauer Lake. That will get it out from in front of the house and maybe we can enjoy it a few times up there.

I also need to get a cartridge for our new, big printer, which ran out of ink last night while we were working on bird prints for the Ute Mountain birding event, prints that have to be entered today! On the way back from submitting the prints this afternoon, we want to stop by the fairgrounds, where 600 bikers are competing in the "12 Hours of Mesa Verde" cross-country run. And then there's the spring concert of the Mancos Valley Chorus at 3:30 in Mancos. And an opening of a friend's show in Cortez after that.

I think we'll probably just collapse into bowls of ice cream at the end of the day and go to bed!

Wednesday evening I was honored and proud to be asked to make remarks at the Generation Impact awards event. A group of students at SW Open School, a publicly chartered alternative high school I'm on the board of, raises money every year to give as grants to nonprofits of their choice. This adventure in philanthropy was started by the El Pomar Foundation, which has also, through this year, supplemented the funds raised locally.

I can't begin to describe how impressive it is to see these young people, all of whom are considered "at risk," successfully operate as a philanthropy, setting their mission, raising money in the community and then deciding which of the many groups that apply will receive the money (AND service hours) that they have available to donate!

While I was at the awards event, I got a call from my ARAMARK-Mesa Verde Company supervisor, telling me one of the regular tour drivers was sick and asking if I could do tours of Mesa Verde the next day and again on Friday. So, I'm back in harness again!

The tours were fun, as always, but they had consequences, too. For one thing, this is not the first time I've had the onset of a sinus infection after spending a morning or two out in the pollinating plants of Mesa Verde! Second, it cut into the workday Sandy and I had planned to get the house and yard ready for showing.

Sandy worked hard all day Thursday and I joined her in the afternoon and evening and we got a lot done, but we were tired teenagers! We did a little more Friday morning before I left for Mesa Verde and she went to work our shift at Artisans, and I think the place looked pretty good for the showing at 11 that morning. However, we still have lots to do, much of which will be helpful in terms of culling and preparing for our move to Silver City.

At least the activity is trimming my waistline without having to go to the Rec Center! TV