In which Mary goes nuts looking for signs of spring

Look, look! A bud, on a lilac bush in my garden! Look!


And, ooh la! A robin! Hopping around on the grey and pathetic grass! (I have no grass; this is someone else's pathetic grass.)


Hey, a rock! Seen through chives growing on my very own back deck!


(And now I must tell you a story. Once upon a time, many years ago when Arthur was in kindergarten, the teacher showed the class a picture and asked them what signs of spring they could see. Bozo [not his real name] says, "I can see a rock." The teacher sighs heavily and says that's not really a sign of spring. Then Son of MothMan says, "I can see a cardinal." Not a rock, not a bird, not even a red bird, but a cardinal. Way to go.)

Yay! Another sign of spring, just found this second, is the preview of the new issue of Vogue Knitting. The magazine is late this year -- usually out in March. Must be global climate change...