First Green!

Breaking down the snowbanks.

The weather has finally started to turn the corner toward spring. Last weekend (March 19-20) we had a couple of strong-sun days that, while not exactly warm, reminded you that spring is coming. We went outside --- of course --- and worked on relocating the snowpiles so that they would melt faster. This is something I remember doing as a kid and I never really enjoyed it but Oliver totally "dug" it. It felt good to stand in the sun and soak it up, and it felt even better when I noticed the first spring bulbs producing tiny tips of green-yellow that you only see in new plant growth. I had really thought it was too early for the daffodils, crocuses and narcissus. I love that they are more optimistic than I.

Spring optimism.

Big Snow



Enjoying the snow ...

Yesterday we got hit with the fifth largest snowstorm in Vermont's history. We got somewhere between one and two feet of snow and the blowing and drifting conditions made for treacherous driving. We stayed home and tried not to let cabin fever totally take us over ... but it was close. I don't know if I can reasonably hope that this is our last big snowstorm. It's early in March, so it's likely we'll get another one. But boy, oh boy do I want spring to arrive. For whatever reason I'm finding this winter more difficult than usual and I don't know what to do other than dream idly of the afternoons when I can come home, chuck the work bags, and head out to the playground with Oliver. Yes, we play in the snow, but I'm dreaming of a green springtime ...

Warm Spell

Yesterday we hit 52 degrees. It's amazing how warm 52 feels in February. In September, 52 is terribly cold. Right now, it feels tropical. The warm, sunny afternoon melted a ton of snow and the snowbanks have receded enough that we're no longer taking our lives into our hands to pull out of the blind withe alley that is our driveway. I know it can't last, in fact it has already turned cold and windy and we're back to forecasts full of snowstorms. But, it's a sign of things to come and it warms the very cockles of my heart.

Heavy Lifting



We just got a couple of big snowstorms, the last one dumping a load of heavy, wet snow that made our total on the ground somewhere in the neighborhood of two feet. There's nowhere left to put the snow in our front yard. The piles that line the sidewalk are three to four feet high and we've carved out a couple of caves for Oliver. I've watched a pair of cardinals at our feeder, though, and see sunlight earlier and earlier each day. I find that I enjoy winter in February much more than in December just because I know we're on the downhill side of the season.