Ides, ZAGS and Woodpeckers, Oh My!

 

A LOT going on this week, including mud. 

The week feels like one where we sure seem to be making up for lost time. 

Ironically, the same events happen every year at this time, but last year's lapse in activities makes this week's schedule of happenings seem ultra dramatic. 

I'll start with mud because that's pretty much how I started my day. 

After today, no more cartloads of hay to the now dark barnyard for a while.  

The ground has thawed enough that many deep holes of wet, cold slop lurk out there waiting for a barn boot and a sock. It didn't take long this morning, and, believe me, the sensation of slop seeping into my boot was cold. 

Speaking of wet stuff, with St. Paddy's Day coming up Wednesday, Chicago is ready.  

The river is green. Would love to see that some day. 

We waited patiently all day long for "Selection Sunday," yesterday, doing outdoor projects and occasionally watching close basketball games. 

When the program finally came, our part of the show ended in less than five minutes. 

Gonzaga, being No. 1 seed learned that they'll be playing either Appalachian State or Norfolk State in their first game. 

At the time, my friend Mow, a Kansas grad,  and I were texting back and forth. 

About two seconds after I told her that we were anxious to see who Eastern Washington would be playing, the answer flashed on the screen. 

They will be playing Kansas. 

And, the excitement in these two households miles apart ended just like that. 

Still, we watched the entire program. And, now it's time to take those brackets and make decisions.  

We have until Thursday morning. 

While we were watching games and "Selection Sunday" various woodpeckers, along with a many other birds were gorging themselves at the feeders outside the living room window. 

Either the birds are hungrier than usual this year, or we've attracted record numbers.  I think the latter is true because I'm filling feeders almost every day, and the singing seems in the trees seems louder every day. 

One rather spectacular woodpecker kept returning throughout the afternoon, providing us quite a treat with its strategy for clinging to that suet feeder. 

Finally, today is the Ides of March, the Beware Day, thanks to Shakespeare's time-honored and easily remembered quote. 

Remembering what Shakespeare had to say about Julius Caesar's death on the Ides of March, 44 BC has long been a favorite or dreaded assignment in English classrooms around the world. 

I know I enjoyed my share of presentations during nearly 30 years of teaching the play "Julius Caesar." 

So, today, for good ol' Julius' memory,  I challenge any students or anyone else, for that matter, to recite as much as you can remember from Antony's speech BEFORE actually listening to the video presentation below. 

A fun mind exercise for a Monday. 

Have a great day.