Extended Family Home

 
These little fellows were very industrious, perhaps because the birds and caterpillar eating wasps were also out in full force. 

Caterpillar Condo

 
This colony was actively constructing; many others I saw were hidden under the layers of silk. 

The Last Year Holds On

 
The scrub oak is budding in Roxbourough State Park, there are some tenacious leaves from last season. 

Drippies

 
I think it needs to be hovering around the freezing point to get this shape in icicles. Just a guess. 

Sun to Snow

 
A few days ago it was 80F (that's 26.7C) and then it dipped to 20F (-6.7C). We're headed back up to the 60's(16C) this week. Can't wait to see if my sakura will still bloom. 

Masculine Pink

 
I seem to find good subjects for themes weeks, nay, months after the deadline.

Anyhow, the big news today is that we got our LID, otherwise known as the "Log in Date" the official date that our adoption dossier was entered into the Chinese government database. It's very hard to wait. Since we're going through the waiting child program it should be much quicker than a standard match -- but I think it seems longer since we've had Li Mei's picture for ages. I've already sent out two care packages and putting together my third.

Kai and Rowan are helping me paint Little Mei's new dressers and end tables.

I need to make a quilt. 

Early Risers

 
These cute little flowers came up very early, very delicate. 

My Neighbor's Frills

 
My bulbs haven't bloomed yet, so I photographed hers. 

Mantis Egg Case

 
While Kai, Rowan and I were cleaning up the back yard in preparation for the spring we found two preying mantis egg cases attached to a watering hose (the kind that seeps water along its length). I propped the hose off the ground in the hopes they were still viable and hadn't been eaten by earwigs. A few weeks and we should see.

It would be great if so, I keep hearing that it's too cold for the large mantids to reproduce here. We have a very small version that does just fine, but they aren't as dramatic as those emerald green giants.

I think the egg cases look a lot as if they're covered with reptile scales. 

Dwarf Lilac

 
I love how lilacs smell. One of the houses I grew up in had lilacs planted in the side yard. The smell of the lilacs, snails and a large climbing tree were my favorite things there.

In our yard, we now have three different lilacs planted. Most are fairly small dwarf species. This one is an early bloomer, already forming the buds that will soon be fist-sized, aromatic blooms. 

2006 Jumping Spider

 
Old hat, I know. But this is the first jumping spider pic with the 12x lens. Seems a little chromatic aberation-y.