The sunset will be later this evening due to the daylight saving time change, although the rain probably will prevent seeing one this evening, but the time change is another reminder that spring is coming and that makes it easier to take picture outside without fingers and camera freezing up!
Later Sunset
As winter has released its hold for a few days, one can examine the land for destruction caused by the harsh winter winds. I have noticed a lot of dead trees that have fallen this winter, some which are blocking my trails, and I’m sure there are a few less old wooden structures now too. And when they are gone, a piece of history vanishes too.
Reminders from the Past
With the ground covered in white again, but this time from frost instead of snow, the critters and insects are burrowed in again. The cloudless day will allow the sun to warm the temperatures and soon the chipmunks will be running around again and the flies will hang on the siding, but most likely won’t see too any bees or butterflies as there is no nectar for them to find yet. And last year, the Northern Crescent butterfly wasn’t seen in my county until May 9th so have a couple of months to wait for its appearance.
(I did see a butterfly this afternoon but wasn’t close enough to identify want kind it was though but it thinks spring is here – at least for a couple of days. Also saw the first bluebird today too.)
Northern Crescent
Although most of the snow has melted, the pond still has some ice on it and when I scared the geese when cleaning the birdhouse, they walked across the ice to the other side of the pond. So I haven’t heard any frogs croaking yet, as the areas where there is open water, it feels rather icy yet.
No Croaking Yet
Although the wind chill this morning is below freezing, yesterday was abnormally warm so I ventured outside in the afternoon. After watching the bald eagle circling overhead and watching the three geese resting on the edge of my pond, I set out to clean the birdhouses. And while I didn’t have to stand in any snow to clean the houses, I did have to skirt around some snow drifts and you would feel the air temperature change when next to the drifts.
Normally I have to evict some rodents from the houses and at times it is hard to get them to leave, so this time I took my camera to take pictures of the field mice and didn’t find any little four-legged critters in the houses. So halfway on my trek of cleaning the houses, I left my camera behind so of course I did eventually found a pair of ‘cute’ looking mice in one house but probably good I didn’t have my camera then as the deer had rutted up the path so much that in one spot I sank and splashed mud all over me and my clothes.
So after throwing my clothes in the wash and taking a shower, I ate some ice cream on the porch barefoot without a coat or sweatshirt on – something that doesn’t have very often in early March!
Time for Spring Cleaning
Most of the snow melted overnight around my house, just leaving some drifts and snow in the shaded areas, so the creeks, streams and rivers should be running full as they carry the melted white stuff away. And waterfalls will be filled with gushing springtime water instead of the light flow during the fall, although this High Falls on the Baptism River is still iced over but will eventually come roaring back to life.
Autumn on the Baptism River
More bare ground is peeking through as the warmer temperature overnight is helping to melt the snow, but still no wildflower to be seen for a while – pink or white ones. The Indian Pipe flower would be hard to spot amongst the snow.
Indian Pipes in White
Most of the recent snow probably will melt with warmer temperatures and predicted rain so maybe the ground will be visible again, although it will be brown instead of green until the grass starts growing again.
Church Amongst the Snow
The robins got their tails snowed on again yesterday, so after one more time, spring can finally come. The clouds didn’t know that meteorological spring started on Tuesday so it didn’t need to drop more flakes so apparently it is following astronomical spring instead.
Springtime Snow
The work week ends on Friday for some people, but for this old fishing boat, the working week ended a long time ago as the Eagle was retired in 1972.
Work Has Ended
