Has Spring Sprung?

Like John, I have been too busy during the past two weeks to post anything substantial and, given that our semester has just started, things might probably remain like that for a while. Thanks to a number of kind and flattering links here and references there, however, we've had quite a bit of traffic despite our silence. Thank you all for stopping by!

Obviously, there's enough interesting stuff out there to write about: the Pope is in the US, tête-à-têteing with the silly Texan, odd women looking like distraught extras on the set for Little House on the Prairie photogenically bemoan the liberation of their children from their polygamous homes, Angela Merkel's cleavage -- but all this exciting material will have to remain unglossed, uncommented and unranted about.

However, I at least wanted to share my general joy about the fact that the Redstarts have returned from their winter quarters to our own humble garden.


The Redstart is my favourite bird and a welcome herald (hopefully) of the end of what, right now, appears to be a never-ending winter.