Summer in Spring

All week long the weatherman was telling us this weekend would be warmer than normal. On the southside of our house, the temperature hit 95 degrees on Saturday. In Concord, the temp broke the record. We went from heavy frosts in the morning earlier this week, to sweltering in our bedsheets. Suddenly everything has come alive in and around the pond. The trilium are blooming, the river plants are high. The black flies have started to swarm, Lindley was bitten by his first mosquito.

Happy Earth Day!

The last couple of days have been chilly and drizzly. Now I hear the spring peepers in full tune down by the pond! Everyone is finally alive again!

The Beavers have returned!

I looked out of our dining room window and saw Lindley with his arm raised by the pond. I thought he was fishing, but it turned out he was trying to take a picture of a beaver with his camera phone.
He came up to the house to say a beaver was in the pond, swimming back and forth and slapping his tail about every lap to warn him away. I rushed down and took some photos and then discovered a second smaller beaver who soon disappeared beneath the rocks.
Have the moved back into the old place or are they seeking out other quarters. In any case, we were happy to have them back.
Back up at the house, someone/thing has been nibbling at our flowers.

Back Again

Late at night I heard that sound again, like quacking. What ducks are up at this time of the night? then I remembered I was fooled last year by that sound. It's the bull frogs' mating call. They are back - just in time for Easter. What a perfect resurrection message for us.
At a town Conservation Commission meeting, I learned that what we had actually heard were wood frogs! So I stand corrected!

Here Again!

Saturday I poked around the brook’s edge and found the river plants are starting to re-emerge, about an inch long now, just where the sun gathers when it’s out.

It was a raw day – lots of clouds, wind and icy spots of rain. I started to map out the additional vegetable gardens, dragging pieces of wood to mark the spots where I would like us to put some raised beds. I am determined to get a larger crop of vegetables this year.

I walked into the wetlands and the across the fallen log where sometimes I cross in the winter. Found duck poop? Or mink poop on the log.

I saw a gnawed off bush which looked fresh, and like the mark of a beaver…could it be back?

Postscript: today - Sunday - with proper batteries in the camera, not the Dollar Store kind, I was able to take some photos. Lindley came up to me from the pond and said the ducks are back! Edith and Edward have returned. If I am not mistaken it is the same weekend they first appeared as last year. We are happy to have them back!