This has turned into a busy week, made busier by the nice weather. The outdoors beckons me and I'm unable to resist when it's warm and sunny, so on nice days I take frequent "breaks" for a few minutes of quick raking or weeding.  Inside, I have a multitude of projects in various stages of development - all with rapidly approaching deadlines, so try to keep in mind I have to prioritize.

Today I took a short break to see Jamie and Luke when they came to get our old oil tank (that's Luke, Jamie in the truck, and Fred watching), and wouldn't you know?  Those pesky, vicious, irritating little blood thirsty black flies are back!!  It has been so nice being able to work outside without slathering bug repellent all over, but now those days are gone, at least for a while.  No more dashing outside for a few minutes in between phone calls and e-mails.  If I get bitten by those guys, I usually have a big reaction, so I will only go out when I have a good block of time to make it worth the effort of putting on bug repellent and cleaning it off afterwards - and wait until the wind is blowing good and hard so they can't get a grip.   There are some people who don't seem to be bothered at all by them, but I'm not one of them!  I've tried eating garlic, used various "woodsmen" type bug repellents, but only the stuff with serious chemicals works, and I really don't like using that.  But I have a supply so I can at least get my spring work done outside; but even then I occasionally get bitten and swell up and itch for days afterward.  It sure takes the fun out of these lovely spring days.

One of the joys of spring is seeing the humming birds come back.  Fred put the feeder out several days ago, but today was the first time we actually saw one using it.  I think they must have come later than usual this year.  Fred says they probably heard we had a hard, cold winter and decided to be cautious about returning until the weather  had a chance to warm up.  Or maybe they eat black flies and wait until they arrive . . . 

I went to Cabot yesterday and found Cabot Plains Road was much improved over about a week ago when I was over it.  I actually went around to avoid it going into the village - went up Route 15 onto Route 215; but that was a bad idea.  The pavement took an unusual beating this winter and there were potholes everywhere.  The gravel road was much, much smoother.

This is a picture of the Burtt farm just after turning off Route 215 onto Cabot Plains Road.  They are busy with spring work, and as I came by I made a mental note to stop in a few weeks when the apple blossoms are out on all those apple trees - it will be a spectacular sight, I bet.