Film Festival

www.2010wifilmfest.orgAll winter we look forward to the Film Festival. Not only do we enjoy the films, but it's the first real event in the Spring.
This year we attended 14 films over a four day period.

The weather cooperated. No rain, which is nice as we wait in line sometimes for half an hour or more.
The UW Campus is connected to Capitol Square by way of State Street. The film venue is scattered along this route, and is easy to access by foot or bike.

This year, I took pains to schedule our films with breaks for eating, relaxing, and time to discuss the films we just saw.
We took one break at Monona Terrace, and watched the Crew practicing.By the end of four days, we were exhausted. Mostly because we saw lots of emotional Documentaries, and sat in uncomfortable chairs. Will we do it again. You Bet!

First Farmer's Market

The first Farmer's Market of the year had nearly perfect weather. It was sunny and cool, but not cold.

Throngs of people turned out to walk the Square,
buy produce and bakery goods, and enjoy the sunshine.
The few days of heat we had made the tulips bloom. Few things make me smile the way tulips do.

Spring...Sprang...Sprung

We had 2 days of nearly 80 degree weather. It is amazing what a little heat will do for the blooming process. Overnight, the trees put out leaves! We went from small buds to full blooms.

Now the weather has cooled again. Perfect, as it will prolong the blooms, which is my favorite part.There are still a few trees that appear bare, though when you really look, you can see the buds beginning to swell.
Color is everywhere! After a long, bare, Winter, this is total eye candy. It smells heavenly too. Lovely, lovely Spring.

Squirrel Nests

My computer is situated under a window with a Great View! I look into a small, wild wooded area that wanders gently downhill into an expanse of manicured lawn with a park in the distance.

I see all sort of birds, squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits from my desk.




I've been noticing the squirrels busy gathering large mouthfuls of leaves to build nests.

I took a couple of photos, as soon they won't be visible. Once the leafs are on the trees you'd never know there is a small Squirrel Condo in the area. Although from the number of squirrels I watch running up and down the trees with mouthfuls of leaves, I thought I'd see more nests. They are clever critters.

Sheboygan Community Garden

Sheboygan Community Garden is one of a variety of Community Gardens located in Madison. I chose this one because it is close. I can walk through the park to the garden. It has nearly 100 gardeners and is an organic garden.
Last year was my first year gardening there, and I didn't do a great job. I planted and took care of it in the Spring, but by high Summer, I neglected it. We ate a lot of vegetables from the garden, but a lot more perished in the heat and general neglect.
As the new gardening year approached, I had to seriously consider whether or not I was going to garden again. I would be just as happy to buy my produce from the Farmer's Market, but the Big Guy wants to garden. So I paid the fee and am thinking of what we will plant this year.
This is our plot. I plan to photograph and detail the garden as it happens, as I'm trying something totally different this year.

Trees in Bud

There is nothing more promising than seeing Nature renew itself after a long Winter.

The trees began to bud this week.
At first it was only a little colorful blurring around the edge, then in one day, the buds began to emerge like they meant business.
Within a few days, these early bloomers had burst forth in their full glory.
Any day now, I won't be able to see the individual branches. The trees will be covered in Leaf. Can't Wait!!!!!

SPRING!

After a long hibernation, I finally poked my head out and saw that Spring is arriving in glorious fashion. April 1 surprised us with a nice, warm day (77 degrees). Friends in Utah and New Mexico got a snowstorm. For once, I'm glad to be in Wisconsin!
Since it was a nice day, I walked to work.
A profusion of daffodils were blooming along the way, in more varieties than I've ever seen. Also lots of crocus, and the little purple flowers (I forget the name). The trees are getting swollen buds. Finally I saw 1 tree that the buds had broken through to become little blooms.

It's going to be warm again today, then rain tomorrow and cooler. Which is perfect. All this new life wants a drink of water!

Now that Winter is behind me, and warm weather is ahead of me for many months, I can breathe that sigh of relief at surviving yet another Winter, shake off the doldrums and step forward with a little vigor in my step. Spring, glorious Spring!