Spring is coming

After what has seemed like a long hard winter, there are signs that spring may be near. How do I know? Apart from the calendar and slightly warmer days there are other indications. We live on the border of a small lake (the street is Bordeulac, French for border-on-the lake)and things are beginning to take place. Well, for one thing the drakes are getting frisky. Also, the mallard pairs are starting to investigate nesting places. They come in the yard and check things out. She will look at him, he will look at her and then they waddle away to another yard to inspect the area. If we could eavesdrop we could hear things like "That bush looks good"-"I don't like the color of the pot next to it"-"It is close to the house so the foxes will stay away"-"Yea, but what about those king snakes?"-"The bathroom looks good and doesn't need any work"-"The fence isn't too high so you can fly over easily"-"Do you think the domestic ducks will come snooping around?"-"They are so snobby"-"Yea but they can't fly, either!"-"That weird yellow-colored one with the top-knot is really mean, too"-"If I get a chance I'll chase him around"--"Do you think the people that live here will notice us?"-"I think I hear a dog"-"There is a bird feeder here that will drop food so we can go out to eat some times"-"Yes, but I need to stay on the nest all the time"-"Will you be able to bring me something to eat when I get hungry?"-"Yea,but there are some really neat looking chicks around here too"-"Do you mind if I fly over to the other side of the lake sometimes to see if there are any good looking chicks?"-"Well, I noticed that wood-duck guy and I think he is really sharp. He has gorgeous clothes"-"It's too bad most of you gals look so dowdy"-"I really liked it when we stayed at your mother's place last year and all the kids made it to the water the first day"-"Yea, but those turtles got some of the neighbors kids"-"We lucked out by hiding from the foxes OK"-"Sometimes I think I would like to build a nest in a tree like the cardinals do"-"I don't know how they keep the thing in the tree"-"My quacker has been giving me trouble lately"-"How?"-"I don't know,it just feels odd"-"you know that domestic gal is really loud."-"Yea, I wish she would shut up sometimes"-"I'm really glad we live in a diverse community"-"Do you mean having all the Canada geese around?"-"Yes, and I like to see the Ringnecks and Golden eyes"- "I am so jealous-I wish I could dive like they do"-"I try-I put my beak down into the water and push off but I can't get very far"-"I hear those guys come a long way to get here-some day we should ruffle our feathers and travel. There must be some really fancy lakes around that have nicer amenities than we get here"-"We need to stay here. That strange woman that puts grain out on the ground thinks we can't look out for ourselves"-"I don't know how they think we can't take care of ourselves"-"I do, they read all of those liberal newspapers"-"I'm hungry, lets see what has fallen from Joe and Bettylou's feeder"-"OK, and maybe tomorrow we can continue looking for a place that we both like"-"I heard one of the humans that live here say the grass is greener on the other side of the fence"-"It's not green at all right now"-"I know but spring is coming-I can feel it in my feathers"-"I'm flying next door"