Though the temperature doesn’t show much improvement over mid-winter, the increasing minutes of daylight and the stronger sun angle tell me spring is approaching. And it’s not just me: rabbit tracks are suddenly appearing around my forest, the bluebirds are active again, and though I haven’t seen one up on the mountain, down off the hill I saw a very large groundhog yesterday. Finally, after taking the winter off, the hens are beginning, just beginning, to lay again.
Sooner or later the temperature will catch up.
Later on in the spring it will be fun to observe what, if any, differences this cold and extended winter produces in the forest. Will the trees leaf out later than they have over the past several years? Will it be a good warbler year because the warbler/insect cycle will be in sync again for the first time in a while? Will the winter weather alter when the bloodroot makes its one-day blooming appearance? There will be lots to keep an eye on this year, and I’m going to enjoy it all!
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8 comments:
It was below zero again this morning in northern NY. Hey, it's MARCH! Yes, it will be interesting to see how spring manages to find its way to us. Lovely photos.
We'll enjoy watching it all unfold through your eyes!
YOu are ahead of us, but it will be interesting. If the snow melts fast enough for a "normal" spring, everything will flood. Either way, catching the bloodroot on its elusive day is always a challenge.
My bulbs are inching their way out of the ground finally. And the birds are singing as if it's spring already. We can hope!
Jacquie: It nearly went below zero again here, too, though a few clouds moved in around 4:30 a.m. and I think that was what held the temperature to 2 degrees.
John: I'm not planning on going anywhere, so I'll be here!
Joan: I am expecting flooding. With all this snow, all it will take is a bit of rain before the snow fully melts, and everything will flood.
Granny Sue: Bulbs!! Not here and not yet. Too much snow on the ground for anything to inch up yet.
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