A Hint of Spring

The daily highs have been well above freezing, and the long awaited thaw as begun.  It was a beautiful afternoon, one for walking about and seeing what is waking after the winter slumber.

We still have quite a bit of snow about - mostly in piles we created shoveling the deck and the driveway and paths.

It will be some time before they all melt!

Luckily, the snow has left most of the yard.  The raised beds are clear, though they need some work!

I had a feeling that the daffodils would start to emerge.  Yes!  They are pushing through the leaf litter.  Though the calendar said Spring started a few days ago, real Spring is nearly here.

The creek is flowing clear.  There is still ice on the shaded northern back.  I good rain will soon melt it away.

Can't wait for Spring!

Spring has Arrived

The week started unsettled.  One minute it was sunny with a few sprinkles, next we had snow showers!

Even after the cold snow showers, I knew spring had arrived.  I saw worms squirming around the next morning.

That must be one reason the robins have come back!

The warm weather has found me out and about the yard.  There have been piles of sand and dirt by the driveway from the winter plows to be cleared, lots of fallen sticks about, remnants of snow to shovel off the decks.

We decided to expand the garden.  I put in more raised beds.  We also decided to put weed cloth all around the beds (more on that in a later post).  We'll have 2 beds for potatoes, a bed for garlic and carrots, 1 bed for basil, 4 beds for tomatoes, 2 beds for beans, spinach and kale, 1 bed for herbs, and a bed for chili peppers.

I moved the last of the wood pellets inside.  Our days of running the pellet stove are numbered.

It felt so good to be outside.  After several hours of work, I was tired. I sat by the creek for an hour enjoying the sun and watching the birds.

Welcome Spring!

The Coming Spring

Astronomical Spring is still a few weeks away.  The weather has been unsettled.  The deep cold weather appears to have passed.  Now we regularly climb above freezing, but we still get an inch or two of snow each week.

Two things occurred this week to let me know Spring is near - I saw my first groundhog out and about, and I smelled my first skunk.  The critters are stirring.  Spring will soon be here...

Not Peeps - Peepers!

It's almost Easter, and many of us think about marshmallow peeps (my mom loved them).

However, the spring peepers are now about!

As I was riding today, I passed by several upland marshes.  The sound of the peepers was incredible.  You couldn't hear anything else.  Hundred, thousands of tiny frogs calling for a mate across acres of marshland.  I lived by a marsh many years ago when I lived near the Chesapeake Bay.  But the sound level was nothing like I heard yesterday.  Incredible.

Do you enjoy the sound of the spring peepers?

Groan!!!

Another 4 inches of snow today near the Finger Lakes, with another 6 inches tonight!

Yuch!

I like snow, but I am sick of working out in the gym.  Most of the snow we have is nothing but ice.  Not good for much of anything.  The longer days, my recent bicycle rides and the need to go kayaking have me ready for warm, spring weather.

Oh well.  We just have to hang in there.  Peace.

Spring is Here!

What a great weekend!

Today is the first day of Spring.  It is cold out today (just 21 degF this morning), but the sun is out, the winds are light, and we will get to 40 degF.  I'll get on the bike later this afternoon (I need to clean my chain and frame from all the sloppy, wet riding I have been doing over the last few weeks - my bike can hardly shift!).

I hope you got to see the 'super moon' last nite.  It was spectacular.

This was Maple Syrup Open House weekend in Vermont.  As we went driving around running our errands yesterday, you could see the steam rising from the sugar shacks.  We were reminiscing about making sugar-on-snow with our daughter.  What fun.  We went to downtown Burlington and hung around Church Street.  It was nice to be downtown without tons of snow and sloppy weather.  We are looking forward to warm summer days, green, flowers, open water and farmer's markets.  We'll still get some snow and snow showers for several week, but I am confident we won't see any large snows.

I had gone cycling after work on Friday (can you believe we were around 55 degF).  I rode down by the river, and it was still ice-covered, but the ice was quickly melting and you could see open water in spots.  Yesterday, we drove over the falls and the river was ice free above the falls and down in the basin.  I need to check out the river today to see if we are now fully ice free.  If so, I know I'll be kayaking next weekend.  

Enjoy the day!

What Was That . . .

I went for another ride today.  It was around 42 degF, with winds out of the southeast.  The first 18 miles were fine, but as the sun set lower and I headed into the wind, I was growing cold and tired.

Then I heard it . . .  conk-a-reeee.

It lifted my heart. I kept a lookout for the culprit.

I heard it again . . . conk-a-reeee.

I looked up and saw it!

Yes, it was a red wing blackbird!

As far as I am concerned, Spring is officially here.

Snow has to melt (we still have 1 foot on the ground), and the rivers and lake are ice covered.  But the cycle has started back.  Though we will officially recognize the Spring equinox next week, as far as I am concerned,  Spring is here.

Has Spring started where you are?

Punxsutawney Phil Might be Right!

I heard it yesterday.

The melodic "Peek, tut, tut, tut, tut, tut"

It was the call of the American Robin.

Even though we have 2 feet of snow on the ground, and the highs are only around 20 degF, they are here!

I haven't seen one yet, but I'll keep looking.

Are the robins out where you live?

Spring Colors

My wife and I were talking yesterday about the onset of Spring.  I noted that the trees were starting to leaf out.  My wife was looking out the window towards Spook Hill.  She noted how the leaves of the trees looked like fall leaves - as they were leafing out they were multi-colored.

How was it that I missed this?

When I drove home from work today I made sure I saw the colors of the trees.  Of course there were whites and pinks and plums associated with flowering fruit trees, but the leaves took on many colors. pale reds and brown, light yellow-greens, all shades of soft green.  They were like the fall colors - just muted.

Sometimes you don't see things until someone helps you to see them.

Thanks Nana!

Blooming Time

As I was out and about the yard, I came across a number of signs of spring . . .

The common dandelion.

Daffodils.

Dainty Violets.

Ground Ivy.

Most of these plants are common, and the violets, ivy and dandelion are pretty invasive and sometimes considered to be weeds. I am not obsessed by perfect lawns. Grass is boring compared to any of these plants.

However, the warm weather has brought out the Japanese Knotweed. Though the knotweed is only2 inches tall now, it can grow to 6 feet or more. I've already sharpened up the scythe. Bring it on . . .

Emergent Japanese Knotweed.

It's Official!

It was a beautiful day. I decided to go out for a quick bike ride after work. I had the sun in my eyes on the ride out so I couldn't see them, but I could hear them . . .

Red wing blackbirds!

I had a flat. I fixed the flat and then headed back home. As the sun was setting, I could then see the red wing blackbirds.

It is officially spring!

Spring News Flash

Though I have been hearing them, I haven't seen any robins. Yesterday, I saw my first! Spring is here!

Signs of Spring

It rained all day yesterday and into the night. Today it was cold and windy, but we had a respite from rain. I decided to get outside for a bicycle ride. Though the wind and cold sap your strength, it is more fun than sitting on the turbo trainer watching last year's Tour de France videos.

With the coming of spring, the signs are appearing everywhere that life is stirring. I hear more songbirds calling, but I still haven't seen any redwing blackbirds. When I see the redwing blackbirds, I know for sure that spring has come.

I rode north following the east branch of the Owego River. A few years ago, I saw signs of beaver in the river about 15 miles from my home. Now, I saw beaver dams and a lodge around 10 miles from here. Last spring I saw beaver signs just down the street from our house, though the river is too an large here for them to dam the river. Upstream, the river is slower and there are more small creeks for the beaver to navigate and dam.

The sap buckets are on the maple trees. A nearby neighbor has a small sugarbush just down our street. About 2.5 miles up the hill from our house, there is a sugar shack making syrup. Real, fresh maple syrup is so much better than the syrup you find in the grocery stores. The thought of a hot, steaming plate of pancakes with maple syrup sound real good right now after my bike ride in the cold!