Thursday, March 19, 2009

Signs, signs....everywhere are signs...

Tomorrow is the first day of Spring, in case you didn't know that.

The signs have been coming for quite a while....birds more interested in chasing each other than eating, grass starting to look green again.
At RAPTOR, every year about this time, a huge patch of these start to pop up.
Can anyone tell me what they are? The flower hangs from the top of the stem and looks like an upside down trumpet.
Bluest blue flowers
Whatever they are, they are just the bluest blue flowers I have ever seen.

In just about a month, a whole passel of bloggers will be converging on West Virginia for the New River Birding and Nature Festival. And we have Kathi to blame for that.
She could be their sole PR staff.

The current list of bloggers who will be whooping it up in the mountains of WV next month:
Kathi*
Kathie*
Nina*
Susan M.
Lynne*
Mary*
Laura*
Moi*
Tim
Jane *
Beth the Delurked Comment Queen
(* staying at the Farmhouse)
Yep, that's 8 women in one house. That house has two bathrooms. We are so toast. Well, at least it has Wi-Fi.

Oh, and Julie, Bill, Liam and Phoebe will be there. And Jim McCormac.
And The Bacon.

I'm looking forward to this trip like no other. It will be a glorious reunion with "old" friends, and a glorious meeting of "old but un-met" friends. And a whole seven days of sweaty, fast and dirty birding!


I was thinking of West Virginia as Lorelei and I were eating at McDonald's today.
And what greeted me from the McNugget box?



My West Virginia Chicken McNugget
A Chicken McNugget. In the shape of WEST VIRGINIA.












Signs. They're everywhere.

16 comments:

Kathi said...

A Mc_Mountain State nugget? Sweet!!

Try Goggling "siberian squill" for your blue flower. Not sure, but that might be it. An introduced bulb, not native, but very pretty.

No, don't thank me. It's all part of the service.

;)

~K

Kim said...

Love the West V McNuggett!! Such pretty spring flowers! I am so glad spring is here!

Amila Salgado said...

'Sweaty, fast and dirty birding' sounds hilarious!

I look forward to your blog posts after this mega event.

Mel said...

Hola Susan,
That IS the bluest blue indeed!!
I'm sooo jealous! I want to go to that super cool blogger's meeting too!! :(
Oh well, maybe we could meet and use a webcam ;) hehe
Besos,
Mel

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

A West Virginnie Nugget! Maybe Mickie D's should market them.

I can't wait either. Don't tell Laura, but I've all ready got my suitcase upstairs with trip stuff in it! I even bought new jammies!!! And hiking boots, and two (so far) new shirts...

Don't forget "Beth the El Primo Commenter"

Beth said...

Yeah, don't forget me! I won't be in the Farmhouse, but I will be birding! See you all then.

Beth (looking forward to her own bathroom...)

Susan Gets Native said...

Kathi: You are right! Siberian Squill!
Figures it isn't native.
:)

Kim: Me too! Down with Winter, baby!

Amila: That trip is going to be Crazy Fun. And blog-fodder for a long time....

Mel: Someday, sweets. Peru isn't that far, really.
: )

Lynne: I read your comment out loud to Geoff and the girls and they were STUNNED. You are Ms. Uber-Prepared. (Kathi probably started 3 weeks ago...tee hee)

Beth: Yes, of course. You know, if you get your own blog....
Have fun with that private bathroom. If it gets too nuts at the Farmhouse, can I come use yours?

Beth said...

okay, I tried the bloggy thing. Check it out bethsfolly.blogspot.com

This is all your fault, Susan...

Beth

RuthieJ said...

West Virginia's never going to be the same after you guys get there!

Mary said...

That nugget! Oh My God You Are Wild!

I can't wait to be with you, Susan! I know you already enough. Yep, I do.

Kathi said...

Lynne is packing already? She is ahead of even me. I'm going to unpack from this weekend right now, so I can start packing for New River.

Beth has a blog?? Whooty-hoot! Can't pack now, gotta go see.

Wait a minute - if not having a blog means having your bathroom, maybe I will take a hiatus.

~K

Beth said...

sorry - the name of the blog is http://mylifewithbirds.blogspot.com

Beth

Anonymous said...

Looks like such a great time! If I wasn't going down to Virginia this weekend, I would consider this!

dguzman said...

Man oh man, you guys all have to come to California after I move there, okay? Because I'm gonna be CRYING from missing you so much.

Julie Zickefoose said...

Outsquilled, again.

Thanks for the adorable Bacon picture. And the by God West Virginia shaped McNugget. The McNugget is, after all, the state food of West Virginia. Oh, wait. Maybe it's ramps.

Looking forward to it, too. Although Bunnygirl oughta be there.

Kathie Brown said...

Susan! You are so funny! A nugget shaped like West virginia? Did you sell it on Ebay or eat it? You always make me laugh! I need to laugh.