Wednesday 20 February 2013

A Promise

There's a feeling in the air, a hint of something coming.  It's not just me, others have noticed it too - there's more activity going on, more people around, more of a bustle about the place.

I spotted this on a walk ten days ago, just before the snow fell :
Last week, I noticed that a certain dark bay horse is starting to do this :
and I saw a whole bunch of these guys sunning themselves, the same day :
The LSH thought this photo was insect porn, I disagree, I think they were just sunbathing.

Today I took the dogs for a walk along the ridge near Montjustin. I have to confess to having bought a retractable leash for Cookie, not something I ever thought I would do!  It's hard to see, but it stands out more clearly in the shadow :
She loves it.  Apparently it tastes delicious.
(Such behaviour is frowned on.  We've been frowning on it for 18 months now.  I don't think frowning is working.)

The ridge was just glorious.  The dogs had a great time, and it was nice and dry so I didn't have to worry about Cinny's wounds getting wet and dirty.  There were a few lizards trying to warm up in the sunshine, which both dogs thought was great fun.
There were loads of bees doing something very industrious at a puddle.  Don't ask, I have no idea.  I just hope you can see them.
I saw a hummingbird hawkmoth - a live one, this poor sod died last week trying to butt his way out of one of our skylights.
I saw two butterflies, and managed to get a photo of one
I saw a booted eagle too, soaring high above the valley floor, level with me.  By the time I got my camera out, he had soared right behind some trees.  Typical.

I saw a hint of leaf buds on an almond tree
and a more definite hint of blossoms to come :
Only a week after this
there is a definite promise of Spring in the air.

My promise is to stop being a lazy so-n-so and get my butt back in the saddle.  Cross my heart.

15 comments:

  1. Super photos again. You gotta love Cookie, she's a hoot! Butterflies are lovely but the bugs and moth give me the heebie geebies lol

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    Replies
    1. Easy knowing you're a JRT fan, FM! She's a right character.
      Provençe is full of bugs & other critters, apparently you have to have an open mind about sharing your house with such things to be able to successfully live here

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  2. Spring is in the works - hallelujah!!

    Oh vicious vicious jack russell terrorist... that leash is so going down.

    I once referred to my monthly horse magazines as h*rse p*rn on my blog. Very interesting jump in traffic after that post. ;D

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  3. You are so far ahead of us! But, March is approaching and it can't be soon enough for me. Great photographs!

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  4. Cookie is hysterical, I was laughing out loud at the picture of her with her teeth showing and your "frowning" caption. Your blog is just great!

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  5. Spring is definitely in the air where you are. Great pictures of everything. We've still got lots of snow and ice on the ground and really low temps.

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  6. Insect porn! I love it :)
    And I was told last night that we're supposed to get snow this weekend. But then again, I was told on Sunday that it would rain all week so who knows...

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    1. I'm just waiting to see what happens my traffic stats now after C&S's remark above!
      Francemeto have already toned down the weekend forecast, now its not supposed to snow/rain til monday. Woohoo!

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  7. Replies
    1. I don't have to go all the way to Montjustin to pick it up, halfway between us & Montfuron I can join the far end of the ridge and walk eastwards towards Montjustin. It's such a great walk, and I even dared to leave Cookie off-leash for about half an hour this morning :)

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  8. Insect porn--I love it!
    You are way ahead of us moving towards spring. We still have another month of rain/snow mix. And I suspect we'll get one more snow storm before winter is really over. But spring is in the air here too--the birds are beginning their mating calls, and we've tapped the trees for maple sugaring season!

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  9. Seems you're frown is just not serious enough, I have the same problem with my terrorist though =)

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  10. Spring is in the air!! Lovely photos!

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  11. Cool photos! Shedding out is both my favorite and least favorite time of the year, ha.

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