~
Friday, March 31, 2006 7:30 a.m.
50 degrees, breezy, mostly sunny
Hazy sunshine sifts through the air, spilling its pale
light onto newly tilled garden soil,
which releases its muddy scent and stirs thoughts of
early lettuce, spinach and peas.
Fall-planted garlic is poking up through the earth;
nearly every clove has sprouted.
After such heavy flooding last autumn we feared all of
the garlic had drowned, but
those hardy little guys are thrusting their pointy little
heads up with awesome vigor.
Chives at the end of each row were not as lucky; not one
clump survived the bad
weather of the past six months. Snowdrops bloom in drifts
all over the property,
some planted by us but most planted by birds who fed on
the seedheads. A few
lavender crocuses were revealed as the snowdrifts by the
house receded yesterday.
From their speedy appearance I believe they must have
been already abloom under-
neath the heavy blanket of snow. We have begun to rake up
the yard, and every pass
with the tines releases a little whiff of spring’s
essence, earth and grass and mold and
mint that has strayed from the garden. Tomorrow will be
rainy but sun returns for
Sunday, a nice mix of April showers and springtime
sunshine.
Have a great day,
Daisy
~
Thursday, March 30, 2006 7:30 a.m.
45 degrees, breezy, sunny
The sky is a hazy shade of blue and the far-off
Adirondack Mountains are
barely visible through the thick atmosphere. A pair of
bluebirds sits on the beanpoles
lending the brightest blue hue to the morning. I first
spotted the birds yesterday afternoon
on the way back from an awesome cross country ski trip.
We could see their silhouettes backlit
by the late day sun, the blue plumage not very evident,
but there was no mistaking the white bellies
and bright orange breasts. The ski trip through the woods
was a continuation of the adventure we had
last Friday; we wanted to see where that trail ended up.
We at first entered the forest on a very old log-
ging road, and skied a couple hundred yards before
running into dozens of broken and uprooted balsams,
with no easy way around them. We skied back out to the
road and followed Friday’s trail, on a new logging
road made last summer. Conditions were very good, fairly
fast gliding with slower patches where the snow
was covered with tree debris, needles and bits of bark.
We zipped along until we got to the swamp where
approaching twilight had forced us to turn back last week.
We crossed the swamp and skirted a few blow-
downs, and skied for a bit on what was obviously a
logging road. Soon our way was totally obscured by
big stacks of downed trees, but we had come too far to
turn back and still had many hours of daylight
left to explore the path. We picked our way through the
mess and... (can you guess where I’m going
with this?) saw fresh ski tracks on the other side of the
deadwood. “Wow, look, someone else is
skiing today!” Duh. The tracks were ours, of course,
from our initial foray into the woods. We
had moved in a big arc and were very close to where we
started. What fun !
Get out and have some fun yourself,
Daisy
~
Wednesday, March 29, 2006 7:00 a.m.
40 degrees, calm, sunny
It is a crisp clear morning here on Gomer Hill. It was
cold last night and the whole
scene is covered with so much frost it looks as if snow
has fallen. In spite of the frozen
ground and frosty demeanor, there is no doubt that spring
has arrived. Robins started to
sing well before sunrise and that one melodious sound
defines the season for many people.
Redwing blackbirds come around earlier in the year, but
they are fickle and bring their playful
songs around only on the nicest of spring days. But now
that the robins have started their search
for mates, there’s no stopping them. Even if we have
another snowstorm or two (and I have no
doubt that we will) the robins will still hang around and
greet the day, rain or shine from now until
summer’s heat arrives. We walked around our meadows
late yesterday to check the bluebird
nesting boxes and make sure they are ready for their
tenants. Since the midwinter multiple
shrew and vole suicides I opened each box slowly, not
knowing what I would find inside.
Fortunately, all boxes were empty, no frozen little
corpses inside. I expect to see
bluebirds any day now, beautiful in their bright spring
plumage.
Have a beautiful spring day,
Daisy
~
Tuesday, March 28, 2006 8:30 a.m.
50 degrees, breezy, mostly sunny
Our digital thermometer reads fifty, and the mercury
one is higher at 63, but that one is
in direct sunlight right now. The sun feels wonderfully
warm on my bare skin, and only the chilly
breeze blowing across leftover snow suggests that it is
anything other than a beautiful spring morning.
Birds are all getting a head start on the mating season
with lovely songs. I heard robins before dawn
calling from perches high atop the trees around the yard;
it won’t be long before they are looking for
nesting sites. A flock of turkeys crossed the road a
little while ago, herded along single file by two toms
who stopped every now and then to fan out their tail
feathers and let loose with a hearty gobble or two.
I counted a total of twenty two birds, a good sized group
for this time of year. Geese streamed across
the sunset last night, headed north but clearly scouting
out a place to land for the night. We are not usually
on the spring flyway path; there has been an unusually
large number of geese for our neck of the woods.
I wonder what has changed, if it is a function of
geography or weather. Maybe they are flying around
the wind towers instead of dodging through them; smart
birds. The snow is slowly leaving the shady
parts of the yard; time to start raking up all of the
debris left behind by Old Man Winter.
Have a great day,
Daisy
~
Monday, March 27, 2006 7:30 a.m.
34 degrees, breezy, sunny
It is a bright morning with an intense blue sky over all.
As long as there is still snow in
the woods our spring breezes will remain chilly as they
pick up coolth from the frosty pack,
Mother Nature’s own gigantic air conditioning system.
Some critter must have spent the night
in our barn, as our dog spent quite a bit of time
sniffing around the entire building earlier. I see no
tracks in the soft mud of the yard except for the two big
dogs who came along on yesterday’s walk.
Some young’uns came along too so it was a leisurely
stroll full of stops to admire pussy willows, check
out the water running through the culverts, and make a
few snowballs. Short legs have to work twice as
hard to keep up with grownups, and slowing down the pace
allows more trailside details to be noticed.
Entire hedges of red-twig dogwood have been neatly pruned
by deer, every single twig nipped right off.
Some smaller critters had walked on top of a snow bridge
across Horsey Creek and broke a big chunk
off, creating a little ice jam. The cornice that
overhangs the west bank hasn’t slid into the stream
yet, but
several horizontal cracks have appeared in the surface of
the big ridge. Most of the ice is gone from drain-
age ditches and small streams; water flows freely,
singing as it descends over rocks and fallen trees. Near
the end of our hike a large flock of snow geese passed
low overhead, at first a disorganized mob of black
and white honkers freewheeling along, finally forming
into an arrow-straight line and heading north. I took
a second walk at sunset to the big tree a half mile away
where blackbirds have been roosting. They were
still arriving as I approached, swooping along in groups
of four or five, landing on a branch and settling in
for the night, joining right into the commune with
minimal fuss. I think last night’s group was a mix
of star-
lings and redwing blackbirds, all singing very loud as
the sun went down in a flash of color that held
me transfixed for many long minutes. After a mostly foggy
and cloudy day, such a sunset was
a wonderful treat, an entire day’s beauty condensed
into one short grand finale.
Enjoy every part of your day,
Daisy
~
Sunday, March 26, 2006 9:00 a.m.
34 degrees, breezy, foggy
A gentle breeze has just started to blow, and the fog
seems to be thinning out a little bit.
Fog had condensed onto every surface and hung in big
round shimmering droplets that are
now on the ground, soaking into the already saturated
ground. The frost is coming out of the
roads, creating an almost lunar landscape and making for
some exciting vehicular launches if
you don’t watch your speed. We walked along a dirt
road yesterday and deer tracks were
impressed two inches deep in the squishy surface. Even my
little nine-pound dog sunk into
the ooze; his little prints filled in with muddy water
almost as soon as he pranced out of them.
I need to check our bluebird nesting boxes soon. The
fields have lost most of their snow, so
I will have to hike from box to box. I wish I had waders.
Speaking of waders, trout fishing
season starts in less than a week, so make sure your
license is up to date and your tackle
box is ready to go. Ice is going out early this year, and
some of the smaller local ponds may
provide the limit of brookies early in the season. Be
aware that the guidelines for consuming
trout all over the state have changed; if I were of
childbearing age, I don’t believe I would take
a chance on eating any trout at all. Squeeze the barbs
flat on your hooks so that you can release
fish without harming them, and use the smallest size hook
possible. I love to go fishing; when I
catch nothing the enjoyment of being streamside on a
spring day is not in the least diminished.
It’s all good,
Daisy
~
Saturday, March 25, 2006 8:30 a.m.
36 degrees, calm, foggy
It is too foggy to see all but the closest birds, but I
can hear dozens of redwing blackbirds
and robins in full-blown springtime mode, full of lusty
gusto. It is a warmish morning, but damp
from thick fog. The merest dusting of wet snow clings to
all surfaces, and hundreds of tiny icicles
festoon the clothesline outside my window. Yesterday we
had some of the best skiing of the year.
We started out on the snowmobile trail, which was so wet
and juicy that we flew across the surface,
more like hydroplaning than skiing. We were even able to
gather speed on the uphills. We left the road
and went back to a meadow to look for pussy willows, but
when we got there, the field was bare, no
snow at all. We skirted the meadow and passed through a
part of the woodlot that we hadn’t been
through before, full of old apple trees and blackberry
canes. We eventually came to a familiar landmark,
an old barn bridge that rises up out of nowhere. We
climbed up the steep backside of the mound and
skied down the ramp; I wonder how many loads of hay had
traveled that same path back in the day.
We crossed the road and headed into the woods by an
enormous wolf maple tree that resembles a
huge crown resting atop the snow. We were bound and
determined to check out some new logging
trails that have been calling to us since last summer.
After skirting around some ever-present blow-
downs, we soon found ourselves on a well-marked path,
defined not only by a deep trace made by
hundreds of skidded logs, but also by bright pink
splotches spray-painted along the boundary of the
trail. We skied for a long way, wondering if we would
eventually come out on the Mackay Road. The
sky was too cloudy to tell which direction we were going
by checking out the position of the late day
sun. We eventually came to a swampy area; it was growing
late enough that we decided to turn
around and head back to the house. Tiny wet snowflakes
started to fall, a last gasp of winter
as we sped along the forest floor. If the snow sticks
around, we will have to plan a longer
trip to see where in the world we ended up yesterday.
Next time, we will take a compass.
Have a great day,
Daisy
~
Friday, March 24, 2006 8:30 a.m.
31 degrees, calm, cloudy
The cats were all lined up at the back door when I came
downstairs early this morning,
eager to go out before their morning meal. When I stepped
into the yard with the dog I could
see the major attraction; robins are everywhere, scores
of them plodding along over the frozen
mud and occasionally pausing long enough to warble their
signature spring song. Redwing blackbirds,
starlings, crows and mourning doves are quite vocal as
well, and it certainly does sound like springtime,
in spite of a flake or two that escapes the clouds and
twirls down to earth. The air is still, and it is
pleasant
outside with lovely birdsong more than making up for the
dull grey sky. We may see temps in the forties
later today, with breaks in the clouds providing the
sunny outlook we all seek. We went for three short
walks yesterday, and the best by far was after work,
heading towards the setting sun. The big tree a half
mile away that had been full of starlings the other day
held redwing blackbirds last night, dozens of birds
uttering a high trilling hiss along with their spring
mating calls. The birds were backlit by a deep peach
cloudbank edged in gold. The very tops of trees to the
east were ablaze with the slanting rays stream-
ing from a huge orange sun as it disappeared behind
silhouettes of tall balsams. We headed home in
a gorgeous rosy afterglow and counted nineteen deer
grazing in the meadow behind the house. I
have never seen that many deer all at once on our
property before; it looks like it has been an
extraordinarily easy winter for them, which means trouble
for gardens everywhere. No doubt
many sets of twins will be born in early summer, swelling
the deer population to its outer limits.
We often have company that is enchanted by the sight of
the beautiful healthy deer passing
through the fields; I enjoy their presence too, but
implore them to keep their distance.
Have a fine spring day,
Daisy
~
Thursday, March 23, 2006 8:00 a.m.
30 degrees, breezy, mostly cloudy
Mostly cloudy is an optimistic term this morning,
as there are clouds over 99.99%
of the sky, with the sun feebly poking out exactly twice
in the last hour. However, that
glimpse of gleaming goodness is enough that I won’t
condemn the entire day to the full-on
cloudy realm; where there’s light, there’s
hope. Redwing blackbirds are calling from all points
of the property, and crows are carrying nesting materials
in their heavy beaks, bits of dried weed
and discarded beanpods. The birds know that spring is
here, and I’m waiting for the sweet warble
of robins to get me in the spirit too. Flies are
beginning to awaken from the window casings, and a
ladybug or two sits on the sill, leading me to believe
that as soon as I open the window hundreds
of the stupefied stinky bugs will fall down on my head, a
total surprise every single year. Crocuses
have emerged from the frosty ground, and daffodils
present an inch or so of green spearhead
thrusting up from the beds; as the snow melts more things
are revealed that make me
grin in anticipation of softer days yet to come. Yay for
spring !
Have a great day,
Daisy
~
Wednesday, March 22, 2006 8:00 a.m.
24 degrees, calm, partly sunny, flurries
This time of year demands that humankind be flexible in
planning the day’s activities.
Wednesday is a free day for me, no regular work
assignments or appointments are in the air,
so I usually plan a big job at home, like picking up the
limbwood that has blown down in recent
windstorms and beginning to rake up winter’s
detritus from the yard. New plan: yardwork will have
to wait until the snow stops covering everything up.
Yesterday we took a late day walk to enjoy the
sunset and I started to pick up some of the larger
branches and got the tools ready for some outdoor
chores. (Ah well, there are plenty of indoor chores
calling my name as well.) Our walk was only a mile
or so in length, but spring was evident in every sight
and sound, in spite of the chilly wind that was our
constant companion. Horsie Creek has a little trickle of
water showing through the snow bridges, and
tracks from small critters have worn many trails to the
open water. The banks are huge with snowy
cornices waiting for a good thaw before they slide into
the stream, mini-avalanches awesome even
in their scaled-down size. Pussy willows are fully fuzzed
at the sides of the road and swayed against
the gorgeous pinks and blues of a breathtaking sunset. As
we walked we heard an increasingly raucous
din of birdsong; hundreds of blackbirds were roosting in
a big maple tree by the end of the plowed road,
mimicking every bird they had ever heard at full volume.
It was hard to sort out all of the different sounds,
but taken as a whole it sounded a little like a grade
school orchestra tuning up. I looked in vain for a flock
of geese whose call rose above the rest of the chatter,
and finally realized the honking was coming out of
blackbird beaks, along with other assorted hoots,
whistles, trills, clicks and clacks.What a joyful noise !
Enjoy your day,
Daisy
~
Tuesday, March 21, 2006 7:30 a.m.
20 degrees, calm, sunny
In spite of an overnight low of three degrees, I hear a
pair of mourning doves cooing their soft
mating call, sweet and low and starting well before
sunrise. They have been sitting in the lilac grove
for the past hour, bobbing their heads and sighing who?
whooooo? you, you, youuuuu... They are
a little early this year, but then again we seldom have
geese heading north in the middle of February either.
Redwing blackbirds haven’t been around lately, but
as the days grow longer and warmer they will soon be
everywhere all at once. Yesterday remained very cold for
the first day of spring, and even bright sunshine did
little to warm the air. A short ski trip revealed winter
snow conditions, and were it not for the porcupine, rac-
coon, and skunk tracks that crisscross the powder one
might almost imagine it to be closer to the autumnal
equinox than the vernal. We have a dozen days of
beautiful early sunrises until we change the clocks for
Daylight Savings Time, and then we shall arise in the
dark again for a while. I have lately been particularly
enjoying the time before sunrise when the sky is
ineffable shades of both warm and cool colors, sometimes
blending and swirling across the entire sky, or often
merely confined to a small space just above the horizon.
No two sunrises are ever alike,and that makes it worth
watching as many as we can.
Have a fine day,
Daisy
~
Monday, March 20, 2006 7:30 a.m.
14 degrees, calm, partly cloudy, flurries
Brrrrr! Chilly beanie out there this morning ! At 1:34
this afternoon spring will make its
official entrance and just the thought of that makes me
feel a little warmer already. For the
most part the sun has been shining, but a few dancing
snow flurries pass by the window every
few minutes. We received about an inch of fresh powder
last night, big flat flakes that look like
sheets of mica when the sun shines. Yesterday we skied to
the corner of Smith Smith and Smith
on the snowmobile trail. Although the trail is officially
closed, there were several groups of riders that
passed us with a roar and clouds of stinky blue smoke,
slowing down a little to give us the once-over.
When we first came to Gomer Hill in the ‘70s, we saw
an occasional musher out exercising his dogs,
and very rarely a snowmobile or two. Ah, the good old
days. Meanwhile, the sun was delightful on
our faces and helped chase away the north wind’s
chill, and we skied fast enough to get warm to
the core. Fresh snow fell now and then, backlit by the
sun and adding sparkle to the afternoon.
Flurries are in the picture off and on until Friday, when
we may once again feel spring in the air.
Have a great day,
Daisy
~
Sunday, March 19, 2006 7:30 a.m.
16 degrees, calm, overcast, flurries
Winter has returned for a little while, even though
spring will make its grand entrance tomorrow.
Light snow is falling straight down, hardly dallying in
its descent, neither twirling nor moseying.
Time lapse photography of this snowfall would result in
an image of vertical parallel lines, white
against a pale grey background. The only color out there
this morning is the bright blue plumage
of a pair of bluejays who have taken cover in one of the
smaller spruce trees. Even our blackbirds
are shadowy in the dull morning light. Yesterday we
walked along the snowmobile trail for a while
on a nice firm surface that was crunchy underfoot.
Because of the noise we didn’t see anything in
the way of wildlife other than their tracks, which peeled
off into the forest in all directions. Creeks
and standing water have yet to thaw except around the
edges, although by the end of the week
water should be flowing freely. Maybe the sap will
finally give a good run as well.
Have a great day,
Daisy
~
Saturday, March 18, 2006 8:00 a.m.
20 degrees, calm, partly sunny
Cold and calm, the morning is offering a bounty of
wildlife all across the view.
Ten deer, two flocks of turkeys, geese, crows,
blackbirds, robins, doves, sparrows,
snow buntings, and one lone coyote have all made their
way onto the scene so far. There
is hardly any bare ground showing between snowy patches,
but every square frozen muddy
inch has been visited in the hours since dawn. All of our
cats eagerly waited at the door after
their morning meal and are now scattered about the yard
waiting for some unlucky snack
to pass by. The sky is filled with wavy clouds, big
rollers that actually resemble waves.
When the sun makes it as far as the big open patch of
blue it should warm things up
a bit. I may check out the snowmobile trail on skis; now
that is has been officially
closed for the season it should be a nice highway on
which to glide.
Have a great day,
Daisy
.~
Friday, March 17, 2006 7:30 a.m.
18 degrees, calm, mostly sunny
A dusting of snow was falling at bedtime last night,
coming from a nearly cloudless clear moonlit
sky. The perfect large hexagonal flakes sparkled as they
twirled down in the glow and gleamed like a
bioluminescent sea once in place on the ground. What a
sight ! This morning the sky is deep blue with
just a smattering of clouds around the edges. It is very
cold but at least there is no wind. We were fooled
yesterday by the sight of thawing mud in the driveway, so
it looked like a nice day for a walk. We got as
far as Horsie Creek before turning around, a total trip
of less than half a mile. Snow lay deep in the channel
with no visible running water, a very different sight
than a few days ago when it was overflowing the stream’s
steep banks. The wind was straight from the north and
impossible to avoid, finding every jacket seam and
bare mote of skin, grabbing the very breath from our
mouths. It seems to have died down to the merest
whisper of a breeze this morning, a gentle kiss compared
to yesterday’s icy backhand to the face.
Enjoy your day,
Daisy
.~
Thursday, March 16, 2006 8:00 a.m.
25 degrees, calm, mostly sunny
Things have cleared up nicely, and winter seems to have
returned for a little while.
The snowdrops are probably still abloom under their deep
drift of new snow, and robins
remain under cover until some bare ground reappears. An
english sparrow spent a few hours
pecking at one spot in the driveway late yesterday
afternoon, minute particles of something invisible
to the human eye. The little bird certainly looked plump
and healthy enough, and eventually flew into
the rose hedge for the night. Several big flocks of
blackbirds swooped through the yard early this morning,
but the dozen birds that hang out in our big maple tree
stayed put and didn’t join any of the larger gangs.
I finally got to see the beautiful full moon as it set
this morning, huge and golden behind a fleeting veil
of thin clouds. It looks like tonight will be clear
enough to enjoy a chilly moonrise just after 8:00.
Have a wonderful day,
Daisy
.~
Wednesday, March 15, 2006 8:00 a.m.
22 degrees, windy, mostly cloudy, snowing
We picked up several inches of new snow and it is still
snowing. The wind has pushed most
of it down to the end of the yard, where a massive three-foot
drift is safely out of the way of traffic.
The trip to work was tricky yesterday, with areas of bare
road alternating with snow-covered blind
spots. Thank goodness that longer daylight hours have
allowed for travel home before darkness falls.
I believe the southern part of our area received much
more snow than we did, as most schools are
closed in central New York. We didn’t rate so much
as a one-hour delay. I haven’t seen one robin
since the storm moved in; they are probably holed up in
some thicket going what the heck? We
will get a little more snow before this front passes on;
guess it’s a good thing the skis are still
handy. Meanwhile, there was a lunar eclipse last night,
but you couldn’t prove it by me.
By tomorrow night we should be able to view the waning
full moon in all its glory.
Maybe a little moonlight stroll just after it rises, not
too long after dinnertime.
Have a great day,
Daisy
.~
Tuesday, March 14, 2006 8:00 a.m.
35 degrees, windy, mostly cloudy
Big black clouds loom over the entire scene, shifting
position frequently and occasionally
letting loose a sunbeam from behind their heavy layers.
Everywhere I look there are robins,
taking advantage of the soft bare ground to bulk up after
their long flight from southern climes.
The west wind is fierce, battering trees already stripped
of every weak limb by the gales of winter.
Hard rain fell overnight but for the moment the only
thing falling from the sky is more robins landing
on the mud. Our fields are more than fifty percent snow-free,
and the forests are so full of dropped
needles and old leaves on top of rotten snow that cross-country
skiing is definitely over for
the season unless we receive a significant amount of new
snow in the near future.
Whatever happens in the next day or two, change is
definitely in the air.
Go with the flow,
Daisy
.~
Monday, March 13, 2006 8:00 a.m.
44 degrees, breezy, foggy, raining
Rain, fog, and rising snowmist all combine to make for a
very squishy morning. The scene
is quiet outside today, but yesterday there was a huge
drift of robins bob-bob-bobbin’ through
the bare spots in the meadows. A pair of mourning doves
hung out for most of the day in the lilac
bushes, cooing softly to each other. Crows, redwing
blackbirds, starlings, and bluejays sang and
called back and forth for most of the morning. A few more
flocks of geese made their way towards
northern lakes and ponds, trumpeting a loud greeting to
us as they passed overhead. The robins were
silent in their pursuit of early worms, leaving their
lovely mating songs for later in the season when
they are well-fed and rested enough to begin their
families. The snowdrops close to our house
have started to bloom, and pussy willows are finally
showing their fuzzy little heads as well.
I gathered a few of each, and a small pitcher of
springtime sits on the kitchen windowsill;
this will be particularly cheering when snow returns
tomorrow.
Have a great day,
Daisy
.~
Sunday, March 12, 2006 8:00 a.m.
45 degrees, breezy, mostly cloudy
It is very a pleasant morning to be outside, smelling of
mud and sounding like spring.
Redwing blackbirds are back in the neighborhood, calling
from all points of our property to
stay-and-play... stay and plaaaaaaaay! Our regular
blackbirds are singing merry tunes as well,
and crows are airborne, hollering as they fly from tree
to tree. The sound of running water is nearby
in the drainage ditch across the road, as well as far-off
in Mill Creek, a dull rush heard when the wind
blows from the right direction. I had the bedroom window
wide open last night, and was awakened before
dawn by the sound of a huge flock of geese passing low
overhead. Yesterday we had a difficult ski journey
through the pine plantation up the road. The snow was
rotten, and every stride forward was a chore. Beech
leaves and balsam needles littered the trail, and every
so often we would break through the snowpack and
get one leg stuck past the knee in wet corn snow. We
followed a bunch of fresh skunk tracks, keeping a
sharp eye out for the cute little critters, but never saw
one. The snowpack has melted to reveal even more
blowdown damage than we had thought, with dozens of trees
broken off or uprooted by last month’s high
winds. We made slow progress all the way to the creek,
thinking that the state trails on the opposite shore
would be easier to ski on, but the water was running high
and we couldn’t find even one snow bridge to
cross on. There was a tree across the stream that could
have provided a makeshift bridge, but no one
was willing to be the first one across to test the
feasibility of such a tricky balancing act. The water
looked cold. Cross-country skiing is out of the picture
for a while until the temperature drops and
a little fresh snow falls, and I think we can kiss any
creek crossings goodbye for the rest of this
season. It is a perfect morning for a walk, however, so
get up and get out before the rain sets in.
Have a great day,
Daisy
.~
Saturday, March 11, 2006 8:00 a.m.
35 degrees, breezy, mostly cloudy
A few little patches of blue are beginning to appear
within the network of pale grey clouds
that rules over the morning sky. There is a breeze but it
is more of a springtime zephyr than a wintry
blast. Today may well be the last for a while that is
suitable for hanging out the washing, so that chore
is definitely in the plan. Yesterday we walked a few
miles in mid-morning, enjoying the play of light and
shadow on the receding snowfields. Three separate flocks
of geese honked their way north, pushed along
by a strong wind from the southwest. Our neighbor thought
she heard a robin, but did not catch sight of it;
possibly it was a starling imitating a robin. A pair of
bluejays is hanging around the barn this morning; after
they unleashed a few bell-like chuckles, a few of the
blackbirds gave up their whistling clackity-clack chat-
ter to reproduce the sound exactly. Crows are still all
over the place, checking out tasty tidbits from the
muddy bare spots that have recently emerged from the snow.
A pileated woodpecker just launched from
the aspen tree outside my office window, deep wingbeats
propelling it quickly into the southern copse.
Today will be a wonderful day for just about anything
outdoors; perhaps a picnic is in order.
Have a wonderful day,
Daisy
.~
Friday, March 10, 2006 8:30 a.m.
42 degrees, breezy, foggy
Thin fog hangs over the top of Tug Hill, or maybe it’s
merely a low-hung cloud.
Sun keeps appearing for a few seconds and then the mist
closes in again. During the
sunny breaks I can see that the sky is blue with masses
of swiftly moving clouds skidding
along from the southwest at a good clip. Sunrise was
unobscured and full of colors, with fog
running the length of the Black River Valley and beyond.
Crows and blackbirds both set up a
hue and cry before the sun came up, and all are still
actively patrolling our property. A large
flock of something zipped through the fog a little while
ago, all swift wingbeats and silent
running, flying by sonar it would seem. High winds are in
the forecast for later today,
but right this minute looks like a good time to stroll up
the road and see what’s up.
I’m halfway out the door,
Daisy
.~
Thursday, March 9, 2006 8:00 a.m.
36 degrees, windy, raining
Rain has just started to fall; I am happy that I was able
to scout things out at first light when
it was still pretty nice outside. Crows were all around
the perimeter of our property, with two
perched on either side of the barn. They began calling
back and forth well before sunrise, and now
have gathered in the trees at the southern boundary line,
silent at last. Blackbirds were making a sound
like squeaky wheels when I first stepped into the yard,
and when they caught sight of our cat they switched
over to catcalls (of course!), mimicking just about every
kind of feline mew and cry I have ever heard. I put-
tered around the barnyard for a while, enjoying all of
the noise and they finally burst into a series of
wonderful
warbled phrases, as lovely as that of any robin or thrush.
Our blackbirds are actually starlings, and are known
to be even better mimics than mockingbirds. It is always
a joy to be greeted by them; they hang out by our barn
most mornings, even in bad weather. Yesterday we skied
through the pine plantation up the road and ended up
on the state ski route that originates from Carpenter
Road. The day was perfect for skiing, and the trails were
slick from traffic. We saw even more critter tracks than
the previous day, and followed the trail of a medium-
pawed animal for quite a while, as it disappeared under
logs and maneuvered around some wet spots. They
may have been fisher tracks, but time had eroded them to
the point where details were lacking for positive
identification. We saw plenty of small rodent trails, as
well as sign from snowshoe hares, coyotes, deer,
fox, and cats of all sizes. For all of the evidence of
abundant wildlife, we saw not one living thing in
the forest except for the human beings in our little
group. Of course, our conversation and laughter
probably alerted the wild things to our approach, and
they took cover for safety’s sake.
The rain has let up, so I believe I’ll take
advantage of the lull to walk the dog.
Enjoy your day,
Daisy
.~
Wednesday, March 8, 2006 7:30 a.m.
29 degrees, calm, partly sunny
The predawn hour was stunning this morning, with a
colorful layering of pink and blue stripes
painted by clouds and sky. Sunrise itself was too bright
to look at, but the pink reflection on snowy
fields was quite surreal. Sunset last night was unusual
as well, with a gigantic sun setting behind hazy
clouds, so we could actually look directly at the huge
ball as it slowly disappeared. Yesterday was a
perfect day for a ski tour, so we headed into the pine
plantation up the road to connect with the state
trails. What a mess! The wind storm of two weeks ago had
broken off dozens of tall spruce trees and
they lay scattered across the trail like they had been
clearcut and left for dead. Once we passed over the
knoll the damage was less severe, but there were several
more trees uprooted and in the way. We saw
scads of animal tracks, including the fresh trail of a
large cat, either a big lynx or a cougar. The snow was
too crusty to imprint the characteristic furry edges of a
lynx paw, whose toes have fur all around, even on
the bottoms. At any rate, they were big cat tracks,
nearly the size of my ski-pole baskets. Gliding was ex-
ceptionally good until the very end of the trip, when the
sun’s rays had turned the snow to glue beneath
our skis. The last two hundred yards was hard work, pure
and simple. Today may well be the last day
to get outdoors in the sun for a while, so take advantage
of every opportunity to enjoy the day.
Take your lunch outside, walk after work, whatever it
takes; you will be glad you did.
Have a great day,
Daisy
~
Tuesday, March 7, 2006 7:45 a.m.
15 degrees, calm, sunny
A fine mist rises from the Black River Valley and blends
seamlessly into the pale blue sky close
to the horizon. Directly overhead the cloudless sky is
bright blue and the unfiltered sun feels good.
We have already been visited by several deer this
morning, drawing close to the house as they paw
through the snow searching for leftover veggies in the
garden. They had gleaned the last of the cabbages
in early winter; there is nothing edible left for them at
all, but still they dig and scrape. It has been a
relatively
easy winter for deer this year, with manageable snow
depth and few bitter storms. Newfallen trees provide
good forage for them lately, and the wealth of apples and
nuts last fall gave them a good start. I foresee that
there will be a huge number of nuisance critters munching
away on our beans this summer unless we are vigilant
with our repellants and whirligigs. We planted tomato
seeds over the weekend, picturing the neat row of dark
green plants loaded with colorful juicy fruits of
midsummer. In just five months we will be enjoying home-grown
tomatoes, a luxury that anyone with a five gallon pail
and a sunny porch can afford. This year we are testing a
variety called Whippersnapper that is suitable for
growing in a hanging planter. I can almost taste them !
Have a sweet and juicy day,
Daisy
~
Monday, March 6, 2006 8:00 a.m.
21 degrees, calm, mostly sunny
It is another gorgeous morning; although this one is crow-free
(so far) there are a lot of blackbirds
hanging around and singing loud praises to the morn.
Icicles are gone from all of the eaves and ladders,
whittled away by Sunday’s warm sun. We headed into
the forest yesterday afternoon, sliding fast over
the windblown meadows and hitting the brakes in the
deeper snow of the woodland. There were a few
sticky spots, but on the whole the skiing was awesome.
There were all kinds of critter tracks, mostly tiny
ones from voles, squirrels, and mice, but also plenty of
rabbits, deer, and a big canine had all left sign. Our
ultimate destination was to an old hayfield with a line
of pussy willow shrubs in the middle of it. We were on
the prowl for signs of spring, and this is one of the
first things we look for in early March, the little fuzzy
catkins
that precede the first foliage of the year. Although the
buds on some of the bushes were swollen, we only found
a few that had started to show the white velvet we were
looking for, and they were tiny little ones. We will
check
again next week; after the warming trend of the days to
come there are sure to be more signs of spring. We also
skied through a balsam swamp, seeking the sweet whiff of
warm fir needles that often accompanies such a sunny
late winter day, but again we came up short. The scene
was lovely at any rate, with red-twig dogwood stems,
bright green conifers, and a deep blue sky providing
plenty of color. although some rain is expected for
the end of the week, I am sure there will be many more
excellent days of winter sport before the
mud arrives to replace all of the snow; get out and enjoy
as many as you can !
Have fun today,
Daisy
~
Sunday, March 5, 2006 8:00 a.m.
23 degrees, breezy, sunny
It’s a great start to the day, with strong late
winter sun melting rooftop snow, adding bulk
to the icicles one drip at a time. Maybe later the frosty
parasites themselves will begin to dwindle
away to nothing. There have already been visits from
several crows; three of them are peering in the
window, perched in the aspen tree and sitting quietly. I
have the curtain raised even though the sun
is painfully bright; otherwise the birds might take it
the wrong way, and I truly do like crows and want
to cause no offense. Yesterday was a nice day as well,
but the wind never entirely left us alone, and a
walk late in the day had us head-down when facing the
north wind. The sky was gorgeous in the late
afternoon, with huge clouds framing the setting sun,
which made up for its lack of colors by generating
an unusual diffusion of clear silvery light that made for
some interesting long late-day shadows. There
is a warming trend on the way with rain for the end of
the week. It looks like every opportunity
should be made to enjoy being outdoors before the change.
Have a great day,
Daisy
~
Saturday, March 4, 2006 8:00 a.m.
12 degrees, windy, overcast, flurries
The wind doesn’t seem to be letting up much; it was
loud enough last night to drown out all
of the snowmobile noise from a nearby trail. Flurries are
being buffeted about in the stiff breeze,
and aspen twigs are all a-twirl. There is an old bird’s
nest in the fork of a large lilac shrub near the
house that has not budged one inch in all of the gales
and blusters we have had this season. I will have
to check it out more closely and see if I can discover
the secret of its steadfast mooring. Yesterday we
spent the afternoon in Little Falls, and the wind down
there was fearsome as well. We walked through
the hilly streets and lanes in town and felt the full
force of winter’s icy chill every time we stepped
away
from sheltering buildings. We had planned to stroll along
the river for a while, but the wind was too brutal.
Even the drive home, usually scenic and calming, was a
mess of windblown whiteouts and treacherous
drifts of snow across vast stretches of road. There
appears to be a little splotch of precipitation
on Nexrad radar that may give us some snow this
morning before moving on. I think if I
head into the shelter of the woods the skiing will be fun
today, worth a shot anyway.
Have a great day,
Daisy
~
Friday, March 3, 2006 8:00 a.m.
5 degrees, breezy, mostly sunny
Big puffy clouds float here and there, atypical for a
winter sky on a day this cold.
They don’t look like they are snow-filled; they are
probably merely decorative, a nice
touch by the Master Artist. One really nice touch in the
scene is the icicles that have sprung up
(well, down...) here and there. The aluminum
ladder that leans against the chimney is festooned
with delicate crystal spears, as is the tin roof on both
sides of the house and outbuildings. Some
of the icy growth is straight and narrow, but a few have
been bent askew by the wind, gracefully
tilting at the siding like a crazy upside-down fort
picket. The warmth of a late winter sun is a very
real presence even on days when the temperature stays in
the ‘teens. The Dirt roads tend to get a
little gooshy under the sun’s warmth, and it is easy
to overdress for outdoor activities. Your best
bet is to dress in layers, and prepare to take a few
items off as the sun’s heat combines with a high
level of exertion to heat your core temperature. It is
not unusual for active folks to succumb to heat
exhaustion on a cold sunny day. Make sure to drink enough
water as well, staying hydrated is
important. Today looks like it will be a good day for
just about anything, indoors or out.
Have a fine day,
Daisy
~
Thursday, March 2, 2006 8:30 a.m.
14 degrees, breezy, mostly cloudy
What little sun there is this morning is sifting down to
earth through high thin clouds,
cold silvery light evenly distributed with shadows so
pale you have to look at them sideways
to see them at all. Thin maple tree twigs and the willow
copses are all shining silver as well, a real
polished gem of a view laid out all the way to the
mountains. The odd quality of light gives little depth
to the scene; usually objects closer to the horizon have
an almost milky color to their forms, while things
nearby are more vivid in hue. Today, however, all appears
the same, the curious flat light painting the entire
valley with a monochromatic ashen brush. Yesterday was
certainly a gorgeous day, sunny and fairly calm.
I saw some of the best parts of it between appointments
and other work-related stuff, but what little I saw
I of it thoroughly enjoyed. Sometimes we have to make the
most of the little moments; find some today
to hold close in your mind’s eye. It’s not
always about the big hikes or the day-long ski trips;
often
it’s the merry song from a single bird that is the
outstanding part of an otherwise normal day.
Enjoy your day,
Daisy
~
Wednesday, March 1, 2006 8:00 a.m.
10 degrees, breezy, sunny
It’s another brilliant morning on this, the first
day of March.
So far, the lion’s roar is being held down to a few
gusty puffs of chilly air.
Yesterday was another story altogether, and if March had
made its entrance a day
early it would be leaving like a lamb for sure. We had
little new snow here on Gomer Hill,
but high winds blowing across tall snowbanks made for
zero visibility at times. We could look
out over the Black River valley and see huge areas of
churning blowing snow as it rose from the
fields to meet low clouds. A few miles south of here, a
band of lake effect snow added to the confusion
that already prevailed on the secondary roads, and
driving was blind most of the way to Boonville. Plows
were not able to keep up with the drifts, and I had to
take it on faith that other drivers saw me coming. At
least I had my headlights on; it is just astounding how
many people drive in whiteouts with no running lights.
Driver’s licenses in the north country ought to be
issued only during the winter months, to insure that
folks
can handle the challenge. My favorite is the soccer mom
that buys a beefy all wheel drive monster SUV
specifically for use in the winter, then putts along at
thirty mph dead in the middle of the road, lights
off, not a chance that anything can pass her. Ah well, at
least we are finally getting enough snow
this winter that problems like these can arise. Lights
on, everybody. Enjoy this beautiful day,
and the start of a new month where just about anything
can happen.
Take care,
Daisy
~
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