Spring has sprung!

Does this remind you of spring? Does me! It was so pretty last Friday, I decided to sit outside for alittle while and commune with nature! There's a lot of it to commune with, too! We are on the edge of a state park and our backyard is ALL trees! A month or so ago, we were covered in pollen, but after a few storms most of that is 'gone with the wind'! (heh)

There is a road that goes beside us up into the park. It's a very steep road and coming down, just before you get to us, there is a slight curve. Since we've been here--about 12 yrs--at least 3 people have been killed in that very spot! The problem seems to be not slowing down. People seem to loose control right about there! The first time, I had gone to the store and the kids were home (old enough to stay by themselves) and when I got within sight of our house, here was this long line of all kinds of emergency vehicles! My heart crawled into my throat as I wondered what on earth had happened! Scared me silly! When I got closer, I could tell it was more concentrated beside us and up alittle. A van had gone off the road and an elderly woman was killed.

The last fatality was a Mexican man who was in a van that turned over. One of the firemen told me that he was the one we'd seen walkng around holding his stomach. Someone else left by helicopter after traffic was stopped. The last to arrive and leave was the coroner's truck.

Last year, someone landed in our front yard. I didn't see it, but he must've had wings! And one morning around 4 am, I heard a car and looked across the road from us where someone had gone off the other side of the road, which is steeper, and all you could see were headlights moving around. I knew he would not be able to get out by himself, so I called the sheriff's dept and told them he needed help! He eventually got pulled out by a tow truck--I would've liked to have heard that story!

There are always accidents going on around here and I think it's mostly people going too fast and not paying attention--people live here and turn on all the side roads! Not long ago, I was waiting to turn left and I heard tires start screaming and thought, oh no! I saw a car in my mirror skid off to the left, in front of the car I was waiting on! Lucky for him, that side had an almost level shoulder and he was able to get back on the road!

We used to see lots of deers, but since they opened the park to hunting, we seldom see any. One day, I was in the backyard and a deer hopped over the road into our yard in daylight! We just stood there and looked at each other, frozen, and then he went bounding off into the woods and was gone before I knew it! We also used to see lots of raccoons with their babies but since they started putting out something for rabies, we hardly ever see them. They could be annoying but were cute, too. I don't know if we have bears or bobcats, but I think about that sometimes if I walk down to the mailboxes in the dark! (It usually makes me walk faster!) But that would be a rude surprise!

This is my favorite time of year. Warm and not muggy! Doesn't get any better!

Now if only we could convince people to be more careful driving! Please!

Update: Okay we have had a raccoon siting and a memory refresher about how annoying they can be!