There was also a scent of pine this afternoon, but from an unfortunate source. One of the big ponderosas in the last yard down the block was cut down. It was the tree they got started on several months ago but never finished off. Its lower branches had already been lopped off, and today the took the top. The top was about twenty feet high, and looked like a big Christmas tree as they lowered it to the ground. Then they took down the remainder of the bare trunk. The view in that direction is now slightly more open, but I don't think that was a good trade for such a nice old tree.
The pine pollen has stopped falling, so I washed the residue off by back porch today. I had to beat the two small rugs that were out there as door and cat mats, and that sent a lot of pollen flying, but it is the last I'll have to breathe this year. I'm glad that's over. There will be other plants pollinating as the season goes along, but most of them are not as bad as the pine trees.
The day was overcast, but the overcast was of the thin sort that allows enough sunlight through that there are still distinct shadows. On the whole it was a very pleasant afternoon, and the fact that I got some things done in the yard made it better. I'll probably be a bit sore tomorrow from the unaccustomed amount of activity, but I don't think I'll be so sore I can't sleep tonight. Tomorrow is supposed to be cooler than today was, even though it is to be partly cloudy instead of overcast. After that it is supposed to get warmer again, and stay clear most of the week.
There is no rain in the ten day forecast, but spring can bring surprises so I'll keep hoping for some. If none comes than I'll probably have to start watering parts of the yard by next Monday. Even with the minimal amount of watering I've done in the last month, the latest water bill was about 20% higher than the one that came in March. I'm going to have to do some serious plant triage if I don't want to go broke buying water this summer. Rain! Rain! Come back, Rain!