Now is the time to start prevention treatments to guard your cats and dogs against fleas and heartworm. I had forgotten all about it until I received a mailing from Pet Shed -- a Web site I've found has some of the best prices on Revolution (fleas and heartworms) and Advantage (fleas & ticks).

Also, if you feed the hummingbirds and orioles -- get the feeders out because they are BACK! If you don't feed them, you should...they're some of the coolest birds you can attract to your back yard and all it requires is a some sugar water.

Oriole's also like grape jelly and oranges. I have a feeder I bought at Wild Birds Unlimited that dispenses all three. The pair of birds living in my yard clear it out every day (you can get cheap oranges -- and grape jelly -- at Aldi's).

And, don't forget this spring to stop and smell all the blooming trees and lilacs! God, I love this time of year.