Quiet down!

Nature is really flippin' loud. 

After living in the city and dealing with those sounds, I now have to train myself to sleep with hearing pheasants and frogs. The city is noisy - vehicles, drunk college students in the alley (in Hyde Park, that is), and sirens. We also had to deal with a bright street light shining into our bedroom window every night. It felt like God was shining his flashlight down on us. I can see everything, Marcy. 

But now we sleep with the windows open at night and can hear all sorts of sounds. Pheasants. Frogs. Crickets. The frogs and crickets I can get used to. I can even get used to the numerous birds living around us, but it's the pheasants. Man alive are they loud! And it isn't a pleasant sound.

Here's a clip of what they sound like. Try listening to that every day and night. 

Green!

Finally! It's starting to look like spring around here. We had snow this week, about an inch, that lasted until the afternoon. The next day, it warmed up nicely into the 70s. 

The kids and I went on a drive in search of groceries. We drove to Sheridan, Wyoming. It's such a beautiful drive around curves and over hills. A few ranches dot the landscape but what I noticed was how green everything has become. There are signs of life here! 

I'm told that the green doesn't last long once July and August roll around and the rain pretty much stops for 2 months. For now, I'm enjoying the long drives to buy food. At least the scenery is nice too look at even if all I hear is two arguing children behind me. I just turn up the radio. What kids. I don't hear any kids. 

On another note, I'm writing for a website called The Examiner. I'm the Billings Cooking Examiner. If you get a chance, check out my articles.