17 March 2007

The Natives Are Restless

The other day I posted about all the neighbors coming out of hibernation and carrying on in the streets. Well, I didn't find out until two days later, but that night there was a shooting in the next block. Probably involved some of those baggy pantsed persons I saw all over the street. I was not at home at the time or would probably have heard the shot.

Today I was reading in the kitchen and heard a bullhorn. I started looking out windows and saw police vans and cars parked all over the next block, where the shooting had been. They hauled someone off. It's going to be a noisy summer.

One of the problems with my urban neighborhood is constantly revolving renters. For a few months it will be quiet, then the bad ones move in and bring all their friends and it's a constant parade of noise and litter until they get evicted for non-payment. In the houses that I can see from my corner lot, probably only 5 of them are owner-occupied.

I'll be keeping the police number by the phone.

15 March 2007

The Groundhog Was Right!

Monday it was finally Spring in West Michigan. 70 degrees and sunny. A lot of the snow melted and mud was everywhere. I even saw worms. Birds were singing. Neighborhood children were screaming. I even saw people with their shirts off. (Of course their pants were almost off, too, and I could see their stupid underwear.)

I got busy with the clippers and started my Spring pruning. It's still a little early to start raking, so I'll wait until the leaves can dry out some more and the city compost dump opens. I did repair my gate, which I ran into last week when we had a foot of snow. I broke a picket and bent the hinge, so off with the hinge and I banged it back flat and put it back on good as new.

I also rehung a garage light which has been off for several months now because it had a short and I had to rewire it. Then it was too cold to put it back up. Today it was a little cooler and overcast, but I got out again and did some more pruning. The cats are loving being outside after being cooped up for so long. They are racing around and smelling everything.

Snowdrops and crocus are blooming, too!