Springtime is close

Something in the air feels like spring is just about here. As always for this part of the country, it's not because of the calendar. I think it has more to do with the weather fluctuations of the last month or so. Earlier this week we were in the mid 20's here on the northshore. Today's high was in the mid 70's.

The animals hint of the change in seasons, too. As I was leaving work about 4 yesterday afternoon, I noticed about a dozen hawks soaring around the tall building at the spaceship factory.
click on pictures for full-size versions



Wondering what kind of wildlife would bring the hawks to this 832 acres of mostly asphalt and buildings, I grabbed my camera and started clicking. It wasn't till I got home and downloaded the pictures that I noticed poor pigeons sitting near the top of the building.



Dem hawks were hungry!!

Hoping to get more shots of these beautiful predators, I took Highway 90 East to get back home. No dice. Seems like all those hawks were busy dining on squab.

But I did see some interesting shots along the way. I really hadn't been out in this neck of the woods in quite a while so I was curious to witness what progress had been taking place.



Venetian Isles was slammed by Katrina. On the 1,285th day since Katrina (thanks for counting, Maitri) building is still happening in this outpost of the Big Easy

It seems as if the newer homes are bigger and stronger than the Pre-K domiciles.



Unfortunately, the Venetian Isles Fire Department is STILL operating out of a mobile home. Maybe Venetian Isle rep Joseph Cao can finally do something about this atrocity.





Across the Chef Pass bridge is the fishing village of Lake St. Catherine, which was virtually wiped out from Katrina due to its geography.






It's taken almost four years, but homes are starting to really spring up out here. The first few miles is still pretty much barren of homes, but this is where I spotted trees full of happily squawking red wing blackbirds.



Right next to the tree of birds was this shot of an old fishing net wrapped around a tree. Not sure if it's from Katrina, Gustav or Ike.



Further down the road I passed the church where Father Red(Arthur Ginart) spent his last hours guarding his church.


notice the marsh grass from Gustav/Ike still on the church's steps

Late on the night before Katrina, a volunteer firefighter went down to the St Nicholas of Myra church to convince him to leave, but he wouldn't. "God will be my shepherd," he said.

In the corner of Highway 90 where Jayne Mansfield was killed I spotted this little guy sunning himself. Such a cutie.



Here's a sampling of the houses I saw along this route. I want to take more when the traffic allows.











More to come.....................................................