hafoc | Birdsong

I'd say the snow still covers about half the ground, and we have a bit more predicted over the next week or so. But the robins and redwing blackbirds have arrived. Spring must be on its way, finally.

When I stepped outside around sunset, there was a robin singing his heart out in the trees near the house. Honestly, brought a tear to my eye, it did.

My stepdad, Don, is a typical Michigan sandy-soil And Farmer. In his case he was a warehouseman and farmer, but the farmer really showed through. Especially as his family has been living and working on that piece of land since before Michigan became a state, which was in 1836. That's about as far back as family histories go around here.

He is full of farmer's folk wisdom. When he heard a robin singing like that, he'd say "He's singing for rain. They love rain, makes the earthworms come up."

Now, I don't see how bird songs can bring on rain, or predict it. But you know, you'd never make much money betting against Don on something like that. So I'll go along with it, with a tip of the hat to The Farmer. The robin is singing for rain. I'll keep an eye out for some precipitation that is liquid instead of solid. I want it as badly as he does.