Window Wednesday

Since the snow has melted and Alberta spring has slowly begun to arise (a lot of emphasis on the 'slowly'), we have also slowly began to venture outside. I'm not sure why we don't spend more time outside during the winter, frolicking in the snow, chatting with neighbors... oh wait... -40°C not including windchill... which on the really bad days makes it closer to -60°C. So our time outside, if we go out at all, includes a mad dash from the car (praying it will start) to the house and vice versa. As our wonderful spring slowly arises, everyone on the block comes out of hibernation. Our friendships with our neighbors are definitely 'seasonal' relationships, and I mean that in the most literal of terms!Last week on one of our new, spring adventures... the child and I came to discover a New York sized city of ladybugs in my front flower patch. I have never seen so many ladybugs converging in one area! (I just found out today that ladybugs are a sign of fertility... so I'm sure the Grandparents will be happy to know that I am still fertile). We spent quite a bit of time 'hunting' for ladybugs and enjoying every minute of the beautiful, warm sunshine.

Then THIS happened.

Not just once. For 2 days (maybe 3) in a row it snowed, rained, hailed, snowed, rained, hailed... and the ladybugs went into hiding. The child had a hard time understanding why there were no more ladybugs and even though the weather was not permitting, he still searched for them every time we went outside. 

Finally, the steel-cold grip of winter finally released and the ladybugs returned to be hunted by a curious, but gentle, toddler.

The child going in for the 'pick'.

Uh oh, where'd the little ladybug go? Those quick, tricky ladybugs!

There it is!

Oh! There's another one! 

Such intensity, such concentration...

This is hard work, Mommy!

But worth EVERY minute of it!