March is going out like a lion, with the roaring wind which blew the new layer snow around. It didn’t feel or look like spring anymore, especially watching the kids dressed in snowmobile suits digging through the snow for eggs for the Easter egg hunt.
Winter Comes Again
The few summer birds who have return may want to book a trip south again with all the colder temperatures and snow in the forecast. But they wouldn’t likely be able to hitch a ride on a caboose as most of them have been put out to pasture. Until the 1980s, a caboose was required on all freight trains in the United States but technology changes reduced the number of crew needed on a train and eliminated need for a caboose. Use of cabooses began in the 1830s, which sheltered the train crew, provided a sleeping area on long trips and was the office area for the conductor. The crew could exit the caboose to switch the tracks and watch for shifting loads or maintenance issues. The most common caboose form had a cupola where a crew member could sit an an elevated seat to inspect the train from the higher perch.
Cupola Caboose
Although it wasn’t above freezing this morning, the sun was bright enough to melt some snow and my pond has finally filled back up and was overflowing. But there wasn’t any frog croaking as the only sounds were the cracking of ice as the sheet of ice moved around, especially as the fall low water level ice layer started to float to the top of the flooded pond.
Full Icy Pond
There were a few more signs of spring today with the temperature finally reaching the normal high so some snow was melting, even if my lawn is still white, but my pond was starting to fill up with the runoff. And I heard the first killdeer today so another summer bird returned but a sure hint of spring returning is that the chipmunks have emerged from their winter nap and they were checking out my porch for any flower pots to dig up even if there was none at the moment.
The Return of the Chipmunks
The rain later after the snow yesterday did not magically produce spring flowers yet, not when the snow depth only shrank a little from the rain. So it will probably be another 6 weeks before any Spring Beauties are in bloom around here.
No Spring Beauties Yet
The old saying is that “Spring will finally arrive after three snows on a robin’s tail.” Well the robins arrived last week and it snowed today, but I don’t want it to snow again so I wonder if it counts if I shake snow off the tree branches a couple times on to the robin tail so spring can come.
Snowed on Robin’s Tail
Although it was above freezing today, it felt cold with the wind so it wasn’t a day to go boating on a Sunday afternoon, especially since many of the boats are still frozen in ice.
Frozen in Place
The cloudy day and cold temperature didn’t allow much melting of snow today so icy culvert in yesterday’s picture, still doesn’t appear green and flowing like it did six months later in the year.
Thawed Culverts
The highway department has been busy thawing out frozen culverts where the melting snow is causing water to run over the road. But those culverts don’t look as interesting or as pretty as these near Houghton Falls, where when this ice melts, it will flow into Lake Superior.
Frozen Culverts
As the sun was setting this evening, two rabbits were playing under a pine tree and only ventured onto my path and around the pine tree to stay off the snow since there is no green grass or violets blooming yet like this cottontail enjoyed last spring. There is not even any dandelions yet for the poor bunnies to eat.
Springtime Bunny
