Views and Interviews - Online Journal

Noooooooo

Looked at the online weather report this morning, and had rather a shock, considering yesterday's optimism: the temperature has dropped and is not predicted to go above freezing again until next Wednesday. Real cold weather - temperatures in the low teens each night, and then snow. Snow. Nooooooooo.

More Signs of Spring

Earlier this week I read in S. J. Rozan's blog that the Canada geese were back at the southern end of the Hudson River.  Then yesterday evening I heard just two or three of them flying overhead in the dusk, heading north.  This morning there were a few more.  I think that makes it official - no matter what the weather does in the next few weeks, the worst is over.  I see the buds thickening and showing red on our huge back-yard maple, and at least one of our local squirrels has a russet tail as he changes his qrey winter coat for summer brown.  It's been a hard winter.

Not Just Woodchucks

Last Monday was Groundhog Day - and I think the little guy saw his shadow, for whatever that was worth.  So spring is a ways off - though even six more weeks doesn't seem long given the deep freeze we've been in for the past few months.  But in fact the groundhog - or woodchuck - or whistlepig (my favorite name) - is not the only harbinger of spring.  For several weeks we've been treated to the scent of skunk in the late evening - so at least one has come out to see what's going on - however, they are not true hibernators, so this may not mean much.  More encouraging, the cardinals are singing in the mornings, and two days ago I heard a house finch's spring song.