SPRINGSHINE has arrived!

I think I just coined a new word, and Nana Diana might have something to do with it!  (She is a dear blogging friend who posts a "new" word coined by her grandchildren every Wednesday here - just too funny!)  So today, as the sun was brilliantly shining, the skies held nary a cloud, and springtime buds and blooms were everywhere - I thought - SPRINGSHINE - it's here!  And then of course, I realized, that's not a word, I meant sunshine... but oh well... I think I like SPRINGSHINE better, lol!

I took the dogs out to our property to roam around today since it was so beautiful outside.

These lovely wild purple Woodland phlox were blooming everywhere!  I think I need to see if some of these can transplant to some flower pots!  As they are growing wild, I don't know how well they would do in a pot, but it may be worth a try, since we have so many of them growing everywhere all over our property!

Roger and Annie were thrilled to not have to be on leashes.  Usually I keep them on leashes because sometimes our neighbor's dogs are out, but today she was not home, and so I don't have to worry about them running chasing after another dog.  So they got lucky today too!  No leashes!

So many sights and smells, and so much energy to spare!

Chipmunks and squirrels beware!

A large tree that had fallen in a windstorm last summer has cured all winter.  I would like to make a table out of this stump for our outdoor seating area around the fire pit.  My husband thinks that sounds like a great idea, except that he is not real excited about getting it from the back of the property to where it needs to go.  It is a big heavy stump!

But I think since it has dried out over the past months, that it will be lighter to lift, and maneuver to where its new home needs to be!

We have a LOT of work to do in the forest once we get moved out here.  Lots of dead trees that need to be cleaned up! It's God's perfect exercise gym!

An interesting old stump just sitting barren in the sunlight.  I'm intrigued with how the hole in the tree came to be.  I am also thinking of a way of using it in a garden for some flower props.  I hear my husband and son groaning now about that project! lol!

Tiny mushrooms growing out of a dead moss-covered tree!  Not sure what variety these are, so I left them alone.  I need to find someone in this area more knowledgeable about mushrooms, as I notice we have a lot of different ones that grow on our property.

Just stopping for a moment to view the heavenlies through the cover of pine trees.  Just gorgeous today - no clouds in the sky!

Dogs are beside themselves with joy to be exploring without being tied to a leash.  I was happy too, because my arms get very tired of dealing with their excitement too!

Squirrels and chipmunks, chickadees and woodpeckers all greeted us today as we walked, and the dogs weren't sure how to respond...

I found lots of mullein growing around our property today too!  This was one of the biggest ones I've found.  Don't you love their pretty rose petal shaped design?  Since we have been busy cutting back trees, I am finding the mullein growing where trees have been cut down, and abundant sunshine is available for them to grow.

Did you know that this common "weed" actually has tremendous health benefits?  Mother Earth News has a great article here on what this amazing plant can do for you.  One of its main benefits is help for respiratory issues, and also its leaves can be applied to bruises, stings, and sprains.

After we left the woods, I took the dogs down to the river just below our place for a drink.  It was a warm day today, getting close to 70 degrees outside!  The dogs were thrilled to have the whole beach to themselves (and I was too!) .

At first I didn't think Annie was going to get in the water, because it was really cold, but after a bit of running up and down the beach, she decided the cold water was worth it!

Roger was a bit more unsure of the water, stepping carefully close to the edge, being careful not to get his feet wet as he drank a bit.  I don't know if he had ever been to the river before, since he just came to live with us in February, and we hadn't taken him down to the river before.

It was such a beautiful springshine day, and Annie was enjoying every minute of the romp on the beach!

Hmmm, what game should we play next?

You can see how Annie and Roger had been in the water up to their bellies already!

Then the geese showed up...

And of course - I didn't have my telephoto lens with me.  Bummer!

The geese were cackling loudly, making a lot of different noises as they called out to each other.  The dogs didn't know what to make of it all.

The geese continued their noise and the dogs were quite intent.  I wonder if they understood geese language?

Soon,  it became very, very loud as the geese got closer in the water to us.

Roger just kept pacing back and forth on the beach, trying to find a way to get to the geese without getting wet, but ... it just wasn't working!

Annie thought she would try to swim out there, but after a few seconds in the cold water, she changed her mind!

The dogs decided the geese weren't so fun anymore, and came up with their own game of romping and running up and down the beach... and when they had exhausted themselves, they plopped down beside me.  As we sat there just enjoying the beautiful moments of the springshine, I could feel the warm rays of the sun heating my face, and then I knew it was time to go.  A sunburn wasn't exactly the plan I had in mind!  The dogs were reluctant to go, as they had enjoyed this playtime immensely, as had I.  It was a simply gorgeous day, and in my mind - the "springshine" was letting me know that spring really had arrived!

So, now that you have a new word for spring, I hope that some "springshine" will brighten up your day, wherever you are today!  :)