The week in Saskatchewan was fairly consistent. Brilliantly sunny days with temperatures just above freezing, so the snow was melting rapidly. But under the snow is all mud and gravel, so the world around me was exclusively muddy-brown. For the locals, it brought hope that spring would be soon, but it made me homesick for the Island and my daffodils.
Aside from a few jackrabbits, which were still more white than brown, we didn't see much for new wildlife during the week. But then again, we were moving between house and car quite rapidly. I got out for one walk around the neighbourhood in Regina, but it was an exercise in dodging cars and puddles. All the birds I heard were sparrows or Canada Geese.
We cut our trip short by one day due to a blizzard approaching, getting out Thursday morning. It was the right move as snow and freezing rain shut down most of the province by Thursday afternoon and evening.
By 8AM we were back in the land of green grass and flowers everywhere. Victoria is truly in bloom. The trees are all in full flower, more and more bulbs are flowering an even the Big Oak out my window is budding out. I won't be able to see Inner Harbour in a few days.
On Friday, we got out for a proper walk, taking the bus up to Hillside and walking home, showing Wanda the Oaklands, Fernwood and North Park neighbourhoods. It was cloudy but beautiful.
I got a great visual sighting of a House Finch too, to go along with all the birdsong I've noticed over the past month. Its pale red head was clearly visible, which is a good thing because I didn't really believe the bird matched the picture in my Merlin app. I'm glad to have positive confirmation of the first proper bird sighting I made on the app.
Finally a balcony update. The tulips have bloomed! Pale yellow and coral flowers in four different pots. The colours are more muted than I'd like, but I planted them for the pointed petals, more like a native species, and they have delivered on that front completely. What's most remarkable to me is when we left 10 days ago, the first leaves had just opened. The flower stems grey up, flowers formed and opened all in less than a fortnight.
