The last few weeks have been busy times. While we are still under snow
here, and getting more, we are also heading slowly but surely towards spring. Gardeners are planning the changes to their flower beds and starting seeds indoors, kids are looking forward to outdoor activities without winter gear, and the snow shovelers are looking forward to stowing away their tools and readying their lawnmowers for the coming of the new season.
Me, I'm just looking forward to sunny days and b
almy temperatures, the blooming of spring bulbs and the green of the grass. Summer days spent in the countryside or at the lakeside, lazing in the shade of a gazebo engrossed in a book, listening to the sound of the birds in the trees and breathing in the sweet fresh smell of growing things.
I love to watch the birds at any time of year, but 
the spring is particularly enjoyable. At the sanctuary, the geese and ducks are nesting, and so are the swans. The 
smaller birds like robins and sparrows are also building nests and preparing for their young. Watching the robins flying to and fro with bits of string, straw, paper and twigs makes one want to go hunting for the nests and watch for the small blue eggs and hungry little beaks. Having watched the babies grow into the youth stages at the wildlife center each year it's a season I never fail to look forward to. The unhappy part is often seeing the geese or duck babies disappear one by one, taken by snapping turtles or the aggressive trumpeter swans.
While this winter hasn't felt nearly as long or claustrophobic as recent previous ones, I'll be glad when it's over.
In meantime, have a look through some of the other interesting image files available free for use at Free-3D-Textures.com
And of course, for those who love textures and backgrounds, there's a new crop to be found this week.
