For Those In the Snowy Parts of the World ~

We have azaleas in bloom!

I know some of you are still enjoying the delights of shoveling, digging out, making pots of hot tea, and such wintry sports. Here in Oriental, spring is arriving.

Granted, we've had a string of very chilly days, but that hasn't stopped the spring bloomers -- oh no! Daffodils, forsythia, pears, and others whose names I know not, are all charging forward into warmer temps.

The white tree is a Bradford pear, of course. The tree in the foreground, I'm not sure.

Here's its blossom up close:

I was on a bike ride, of course, so I pedaled on down to the town's dinghy dock. Four boats were tied up there.

One was an old wooden row boat.

Another was brightly painted and rather modern-looking.

The Oriental Yacht Club always has a nice string of boats, although I never see any of them move or sail anywhere.

In the photo above you see a pink boat, and I believe there's our friend, the pirate boat. The pink boat has been around Oriental all winter long, usually at anchor over in Green Creek. Why she's over here in the harbor, I don't know. Quite a few boats have been gathered there in recent days, and I don't know if they're all just having a big party (very possible with sailing types), or if the weather or water level has something to do with it.
Here's our old friend, the red steel-hulled boat with such unusual masts. I hear she's a Frenchman's boat, and she's also been in Oriental all winter. This is a nice place for boaters and sailors to hunker down until warmer breezes blow.

Speaking of warmer breezes blowing, this pretty little lady motored out of the town dock this afternoon. No mainsail up, but a foresail will pull her along a bit. She has a nice bimini cover over the cockpit because the sun is shining today!