What a symbol of spring - little lambs and sheep. Come celebrate spring with me, some sheep, and contests!
Spring!
Spring is a specific moment in time, in astronomy. This year, it happened at 3:28AM Daylight Savings Time, here in Oregon's Willamette Valley. I was asleep. I missed it!
But in nature, spring happens at different times. Spring is the longest season here in the Pacific Northwest, west of the Cascade Mountains. It lasts for months! I'll be making more posts about the signs of spring in my neck of the woods, but I want to start it off with a celebration.
When does Spring start? Sheep are a common symbol of spring and Easter, especially cute little lambs. For me, when the lambs are born, that seems like spring. West of the Cascades, down in the valleys, sheep have their babies in December, before Christmas! So that's my first sign of spring. While you are enjoying these Oregon Umpqua Valley sheep, I invite you to join in my celebration of the astronomical Spring in four contests.
Contest 1 - Signs of Spring
What do you consider your first sign of spring, where you live? Put your one answer under the comment, "PUT YOUR FIRST SIGN OF SPRING HERE". Entries close on Wednesday, at 9pm PDT (UTC -7). I'll randomly draw from all the answers under that comment for a Spring Prize of $1 SBD.
Contest 2 - Sheep Jokes!
Not every sheep is funny, but most sheep jokes can get me to laugh. I'll put a comment below, "PUT YOUR SHEEP JOKES HERE". Put your sheep jokes there - as many as you want. Entries close on Wednesday, at 9pm PDT (UTC -7). I'll pick my favorite for a Spring Prize of $1 SBD. Note: the jokes do need to be safe for work!
Contest 3 - Spring Greeting Card
Spring is a time of new beginnings and growth. Take any of my sheep photos here and make a card. It can be postcard-style or greeting-card style. Put your entry under the comment, "PUT YOUR CARD HERE" - as many as you want. Entries close on Wednesday, at 9pm PDT (UTC -7). I'll pick my favorite for a $3 SBD prize.
Contest 4 - Spring Fever Sheep Meme
Spring Fever has got hold of me, for sure! So against my better judgment, I'm going with the meme fever here on Steemit. Take any of my sheep photos here and make a meme. Put your entry under the comment, "PUT YOUR MEME HERE" - as many as you want. Entries close on Wednesday, at 9pm PDT (UTC -7). I'll pick my favorite for a $2 SBD prize. Go wild - but any meme should be safe for work!
Feel free to make your own post with any of your entries, too! Happy Spring! And that's a sentiment for a long season, not just an astronomical moment! I hope you will enjoy my upcoming posts on the signs of spring, too!
To see the contest results, check out this post: Winners of the Spring Celebration - and more Sheep!
** Haphazard Homestead **
*** foraging, gardening, nature, simple living close to the land ***
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PUT YOUR FIRST SIGN OF SPRING HERE
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In Wisconsin, our first sign of spring was always seeing a Robin, which is the state bird of Wisconsin.
I'm not sure what it is in Arkansas though, maybe the Redbud blossoms, which are in bloom around here already, so it must be spring!
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So in Wisconsin, you weren't suckered in just by the melting of the snow, lol! You are in full-bore spring down there in Arkansas, I think. Enjoy eating those Redbud flowers! :D
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I've been eating them!
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Then you are eating well -- and beautifully, too. Redbud flowers are so pretty - and tasty! :D
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I have no doubt: the almond trees in bloom! In Sardinia (Italy)
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That's a beautiful sign of spring! I bet there are lots of bees, too! Happy spring!
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Pollen in the air (and in the balcony)! Flowers blooming :)
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For some folks, that pollen can be a springtime problem. I hope they can all get through it. I hope you don't have any allergies! I look forward to some pollen, like Pine pollen. It's so good! Happy spring!
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I'm not allergic (yet) but I feel I'm changing in relation to that! (nothing to worry)
Happy Spring to you too! :))
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Thanks! Uh oh on the pollen sensitivity. I guess it's best not to breathe too deep when you sniff the flowers! :O
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Ups, you might be right! ;) Ahah
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No spring here ;-(! Rainy season or dry season! Which one counts as spring? Prob the first rains of the rainy season. They make the air smell great and clean up the dust from the dry season!
Last year's rain dance of my hubby after a very hot and dry season!
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That's a good dance to greet the rainy season! If it makes someone get up and dance, I guess that's spring, alright! : ) Enjoy the clean air and those first rains. I bet it really smells great!
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The picture was last year. We still have to wait for another 1 to 1.5 months till spring or the first rain... we are right in the middle of the hottest and driest time of the year now. I love the rainy season, though. Everything is fresh and its nature and wildlife at its best then... so indeed that might be our spring time!
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I hope all these photos of beautiful springtime showers and flowers, green grass and happy baby animals help you get through your next month or two -- until your own spring returns! Your situation sure drives home that the astronomical spring is one thing, but the experience of spring is something else entirely! Here's to holding out until the rains return! : )
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The 1st sign of spring here is a chore list appears:
Tune lawn mower
Buy 12 bags of soil
Clean gutters
Trim hedges
Fill pots
Wash van
Dig garden plots
This is just today....
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That chore list is a definite sign of spring! It looks like you will be doing some gardening -- great! If you add the Gardening tag to your posts, it will be easier for curators to find it and consider it for the SteemTrail @gardening-trail. You can find out more here. Good luck with all your chores and I hope this year's garden is your best one yet! Happy Spring!
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Thanks for resteeming my Spring Celebration, too, @taskmanager!
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I would have added it to a task manager post, but I have been quite busy launching @prizeportal
☺
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I can imagine! You are busy innovating interesting stuff for Steemit!
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PUT YOUR MEME HERE
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Here you go:
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haha -- I laughed at that. That sheep had a wild, scruffy look, for sure! Happy Spring -- and enjoy watching your beavers enjoy Spring, too! : )
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Happy Spring to you too @haphazard-hstead!
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Thanks!
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Thank you so much @Haphazard-hstead!
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PUT YOUR SHEEP JOKES HERE
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Out here in the fields, I fight for my meals!!!
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hahaha -- good joke! That sheep looked like it would fight for its meals!
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That's the joke winner, right there! : )
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PUT YOUR CARD HERE
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Here you go...
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A birthday card -- that's just great! Lambs and first birthdays sure go together, too! Happy Birthday, Steemit - and Happy Spring to you, @rebeccaryan!
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Thanks again!
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You're welcome. Thanks for being so encouraging for my posts, too.
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We'll call this a card/joke combo...
What did the mother sheep say to her little one, once she crossed the road to where he was standing after he crossed without looking?
"You've been a Baaaaad little sheep...Very Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!"
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Hahah -- I laughed at that one! I'm going to put that in the joke category, for sure! It doesn't look like the little lamb feels very chastised, though. He looks pretty satisfied that he crossed the road, lol!
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You can be happy, even when a baaaad little sheeps.
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hahahaha. I can relate, maybe too much! ; )
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No such thing...
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It' Official...
(My latest post...thought I'd add it here for a sort of card.)
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Happy Spring! It looks like you will be enjoying spring for quite some time in your area, lol. It has got to be better than "Fall" for you! ; )
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No, we don't want to take no fall...
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Great fun @haphazard-hstead!
I know Spring has arrived when I see her feeding on tender roots and bark. I took this picture in my backyard:
She was standing at the shore-line. (I think it's a her. She looks very round to me...like she's going to have a couple of kits.)
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That little muskrat is a great sign of spring, @rebeccaryan! The ice must be gone almost everywhere, then, eh? I bet that water is still cold, though -- except for a thick-coated furbearer, lol. I'm glad they are out and about where you can see them -- from your backyard even! Happy Spring!
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It's a beaver...the mammal, whose back, Canada was built upon.
They are a busy creature. We wrap our big trees in an effort to save them from these industrious mammals. We have a mating pair, which last year I named Hilary and Bill. LOL
Yes, ice is almost gone. It's just hugging the shoreline now . Happy Spring!
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I went back and forth between beaver and muskrat, since I couldn't see its tail or relative size. Muskrats aren't quite so spooked by people, so I went with that. But they definitely prefer roots and softer vegetation, rather than bark! Your comment was a clear clue, lol! : )
I'm so glad to hear it's a beaver! That's special -- beavers so quickly switch to being active in the night when people disturb them. So you seeing them in the daytime means they feel very comfortable in your presence. So special -- especially for anyone in Canada, for sure! I hope you get to see their kits swimming around later, too! :D
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If I can, I'll try to get a picture of the babies when they arrive. It's so relaxing to watch nature sharing space with us.
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That would be really cool. So many great things in nature!
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Great idea, and such a fun bunch of sheeps photos. Must get busy with these new projects. I have a ?? for you. I'll send you a private chat. Let me know if you don't get it (joke fully intended...).
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haha -- there are lots of jokes I don't get! I'll check chat. Looking forward to your entries in any or all categories! Happy Spring!
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I always know it's spring, because it's time to jump-start the John Deere and start mowing.
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That's a good sign of spring, for sure! The other is if you have to take your machine into the lawnmower shop - and their rates are double. That's springtime!
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If I could ever get it done early, it WOULD be cheaper. Then again, if I could get timely, many things in life might be different. But what fun would THAT be?
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haha -- I can relate, probably too well.
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Can't wait til we get sheep again ( and a sheepdog ) but first: repair a shed and get chickens. Thanks for your post
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Glad you enjoyed my springtime post. Does your wide open territory have a lot of sheep in its history, or has it been cattle country all along? Your shed sounds like a good springtime project - and good luck with chickens! Happy Spring!
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I prefer sheep to cattle, even though cattle is our business. Sheep will be a small personal endeavor. There is some sheep history, though mostly further south into New Mexico where the Navajos still raise them. Happy Spring to you and thanks for the images.
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You're welcome. I hope you don't start any in-house range wars, having both cattle and sheep, lol! ; )
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Very cute little lambs and sheep! Happy spring to you! :)
It's really hot in Thailand now! ;)
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Uh-oh! I hope you can stay cool enough! How do you tell the changing of the seasons? Do you have any Spring, or is it Rainy Season and Dry Season? I'm glad you liked those little lambs and sheep! :D
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There are three seasons in Thailand, rainy season, winter season and summer season. But it seems to me that there are hot season, hotter season and hottest season.....because it's hot, hot and hot! ;)
That's why I love to see snow pictures from your previous posts. They made me feel cool! Thanks again for sharing. :D
p.s. We have no Spring season here......
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I admire your ability to enjoy the heat! I think our Spring would seem very cold to you. But all the plants seem fresh and renewed. Maybe like the start of your rainy season. We still have a lot of snow in our mountains here, so maybe I will have more pictures to cool your down, lol. I hope your season is happy, even if it is Hot, Hotter, or Hottest! : )
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Thank you very much for cheering me up on the hot weather like this! I much appreciate it and look forward to seeing your pictures of some snow with much interest! ;)
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Wow man, what a great idea! You participate in my contest with a super contest! I love it! Here in Romania, the spring came 2 weeks ago, but today we had snow! What sign is that? The winter returns? I hope not! Great post @haphazard-hstead!
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Thanks! Winter and spring are battling it out in your area, it sounds like. The longer days will win out in the end -- we all hope, lol. I bet some of the buds on the fruit trees are getting fat with anticipation! That's spring, too! : )
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