The picture was taken in a tiki bar in Phoenix a couple of years ago when we lived down there, once again.
I've been tending to our bird bath and drinking fountain this morning as the temperature hovers in the teens and twenties.
It was frozen solid when I first went out, a little before eight this morning, and I couldn't budge or crack the ice.
I poured some warm water in and a bit later it too was frozen.
So I've repeated this exercise several times, each time banging a bit of the ice loose.
The finches and their friends (whom I haven't identified as to species yet) seem to realize when the fresh water is there and how fast it's freezing over as they flock to the moisture.
I've seen as many as six birds at one time at the dish where under normal conditions only one or two will be there at once.
The mercury only rose to 37 F. (3 C.) here yesterday but it's supposed to be about 10 degrees warmer today.
I can barely wait.
Speaking of rushing the season, I saw this on the street recently.
That's a sweet old vintage Corvette convertible.
It reminded me (once again - I think I've told this story before) of springtime in North Dakota.
When the temperature would get up to the 30's anyone who had a convertible would put the top down and cruise proudly around town.
With the heater running full blast.
But no convertible in my family so I didn't partake of the springtime ritual.
As Val Kilmer playing Doc Holliday in "Tombstone" says, "My hypocrisy only goes so far."
