Cold Rain

It was 38 degrees with cold rain spattering down when I got home last night. I had groceries in the trunk of the car but decided they could stay outside overnight--we have been getting frost but not real hard freezes.

We saw a couple robins in the back yard yesterday. Thursday, Denny put together eight bird houses and we painted them in the afternoon--racing against the expected arrival of the swallows. Last year, they were back by May 4th but this is a much cooler spring. There are still areas of snow on Diamond Ridge and along the bluff above town, whereas last year this time we were watching the wildfire and hoping for rain. The maximum temperature for this past April was 51 degrees. In 2005, the highest temperature for April was 65 degrees. So despite global warming--of which we are seeing plenty of signs--this particular season is a cold one, and I am not expecting the swallows until mid-month.