Retreat

Yesterday was warm, warm, warm enough to shed our hats and coats and work the ground a little. The snow has retreated to the woods, a bit of a bank leftover here and there. I hoed the vegetable gardens and planted some early spinach. I found a few stray spinach leaves growing from I'd planted them last year. I made mini greenhouses for some old tomatoe seeds in plastic recycled applesauce containers and put them on a flat in the sun out back. We will see what results.
No ducks, yet, but the sounds of new birds are increasing. The chickadees must be annoyed that they no longer have the run of the forest with these vacationers now having returned.
I put one last dish of sunflowers out for them, but the red squirrel ate up most of it. Apparently there is a bear roaming the neighborhood in search of an easy meal. We have not seen any signs of him, though.
My camera is eating batteries for some reason...so here is an older photo from a couple of weeks ago.
Lindley found our Beatitude Pond sign that we thought had been stolen! it was stuck up against the dam. The water is quite high.

Spring not Yet Sprung

We have slid back into temporary winter…cold front has come through. Sat and Sun. were cool, today was colder. I could not go outside without mittens and the wind is blowing 25 mph. The mud has frozen solid in the driveway in deep ruts.
Every time I drive into our drive, I search for the wood ducks, but they are not here, at least not yet. Still, I hope.

March - Like a Lion

March began like a lion with a Nor'easter last Monday. We had close to 10 inches of snow and driving was treacherous. Everyone is ready for spring. This weekend there is a thaw and the driveway is rapidly turning into a sticky mud. I snow shoed around the wetlands and took photos of cattails. I won't be able to do that too much longer. It will be too wet and by summer it will be too busy.
I broke through the snow to the water below on my trek back and one of my feet got a good soaking. I removed my book and wrung out my sock then stuffed my shoe with bark. Later I used that bark to build a fire in the wood stove.
Tomorrow we are due another storm. This probably won't be the last, but everyone is ready for spring. I can sense the frogs getting ready to chorus beneath the slushy snow.
Other signs of life: more snow fleas, a stray lady bug in our bathroom here and there, a fly inside.
When I download some photos from the weekend, maybe I will post some here later.