Spring is in the air. I can definitely tell because my white car now has a yellowish tint and my allergies are acting up.

     Pollen is probably the only downfall of spring – that and a few mud puddles.

     I love getting up early in the morning and sitting in my home office, which is located at the front of my house and near a large tree. Lately, I’ve been hearing the chatter of birds as they prepare for their day.

     My desk is situated in front of a large window, so I can see clearly what is going on in my front yard, and hear the early spring songs of birds.

     I’ve also been watching this one crafty squirrel that must have a nest in the big tree. He or she has been making at least a dozen trips a day across the street and back. The squirrel is probably getting ready for its spring crop of babies.

     I’ve also been watching a deserted nest in the crape myrtle tree at the edge of my carport. Since its leaves dropped last fall, I’ve been wondering what will happen to the nest that was left. I’ve heard that birds seldom return to their old nests, and you’re supposed to take them down. I haven’t destroyed the nest, I felt maybe another bird might roost there.

     From what I’ve seen, another bird isn’t roosting in the old nest, but I have seen a few birds scavenging limbs and twigs from it. It’s almost gone. I guess nature has its own way of dealing with empty homes.

     One home that is never empty is in the electrical pole across the street. There is a family of red-headed woodpeckers that live there. They’ve lived in that light pole for as long as I can remember. There is no telling how many generations of woodpeckers have called that pole home.

     Probably in late April or so, I’ll start seeing a few new baby woodpeckers peeking out of the hole at the top of the pole. Once the babies get big enough to make noise, I usually can see the parents coming and going with items of food in their beaks.

     Woodpeckers are fun to watch, but they are also worrisome. One year I had to keep chasing one off the corner of my house, because he keep pecking the wood. It sounded like someone was always knocking on my house, not to mention the damage he was eventually going to make. Finally, he gave up and moved on. I think he may have been after a wasp nest.

     Spring and fall are my favorite times of the year. I love watching the flowers and trees bloom. When the spring showers come through, the air just seems fresher and the colors more vivid.

     I also get a bit of spring fever. I want to spruce up around the house, clean my windows and plant pretty flowers in my flowerbeds, even though I have a brown thumb. My intentions are good.

     One major project I’m going to get my husband, Dennis, involved in will be cleaning up the deck and pool area. I want to expand the deck just a bit and put up some railing, which will be a small undertaking.

     Right now, he’s been preoccupied with gardening. He has a huge garden set up, and spends most of his days off there. He’s been tilling dirt and planting seeds and starter plants. I asked if he thought it was a bit early, but he said no. We’ll see.

     Just in case, we’ve planted more than 300 seedlings in trays that are now in my utility room and are about an inch tall. I think when we do the next transplant before they head to the garden, they will have to move to the back porch area. There won’t be room in the utility room for 300 tiny plants.

     My spring fever is in full force right about now, and I feel the need to spruce something up.

     And how was your week?

     Lifestyles Editor Tammie Brewer can be reached at The DAILY LEADER at (601) 833-6961 ext. 144, by e-mail at tbrewer@dailyleader.com or you can write to her at P.O. Box 551, Brookhaven MS 39602.