The night I took that picture – Saturday, I think – was the last day of winter’s tight grasp on this city. It’s melting! The temperature has been above freezing for several days in a row, the clothes are peeling off, and the light seems suddenly as exuberant as the dogs chasing around the park.
I haven’t been out too much because I’ve been swamped with work, but I’ve been enjoying it every chance I’ve had. Tonight J. has taken off – on his bike! – to an end-of-French-class party with his classmates, nearly all of whom are about half his age, and from all over the world. Last night he passed his final exams for Niveau 2 (Level 2) and deserves every moment of celebration – that represented a huge amount of hard work for the past two months. Bon travail et félicitations, mon cher ami! As for me, I hope to be back writing here more regularly soon.
How’s everyone doing out there? Is spring coming yet? I know the Californians and Vancouverites are already enjoying some spring-like weather, and a friend in England mentioned that her plum tree was starting to blossom. We are still a long ways from that here, but at last we can feel it coming. Good for me, not so great for these guys, who were enjoying the ice this weekend:
March 1, 2007 at 7:53 am
Hi Beth,
Here in NH we’re getting maybe two feet starting tonight. We ski so yippee.
March 1, 2007 at 9:10 am
Oh sure. This is the third day of Pine Warblers warbling. Many overflights of geese the past fortnight. Woodcocks peenting and displaying wing-whir. Peepers peeping. Bluebirds churbling about the yard. As usual I had left the bird-guard of my shop chimney and a brace of bluebirds in my wood-stove were luckily alive to fly to safety yesterday morning, unlike last spring when a female perished. Two males, a mate, and a child perhaps, grieved her in diminished, but clear voice. Blue-bird wishpering really lays me out. I took her body out to a stone under the sycamore where they maintained their nest so they could see her. They perched in its branches and susserated.
I took the first “peent” as a sign of death. I dreaded this spring, but already I give up to it.
March 1, 2007 at 9:10 am
Oh sure. This is the third day of Pine Warblers warbling. Many overflights of geese the past fortnight. Woodcocks peenting and displaying wing-whir. Peepers peeping. Bluebirds churbling about the yard. As usual I had left the bird-guard of my shop chimney and a brace of bluebirds in my wood-stove were luckily alive to fly to safety yesterday morning, unlike last spring when a female perished. Two males, a mate, and a child perhaps, grieved her in diminished, but clear voice. Blue-bird wishpering really lays me out. I took her body out to a stone under the sycamore where they maintained their nest so they could see her. They perched in its branches and susserated.
I took the first “peent” as a sign of death. I dreaded this spring, but already I give up to it.
March 1, 2007 at 10:32 am
Rest assured that winter is far from over. This is just the early March tease that we always get. We’ll get whacked at least two more times before it’s over.
March 1, 2007 at 10:56 am
I don’t know about here. Phoebe’s back. Here. Just now. Every spring, ten o’clock in the morning, pheobe is back, coming never in the afternoon. I wonder if the day of year is the same as well.
March 1, 2007 at 11:27 am
Was that Thrasher I just heard, going away? And the spring song of the white-throated sparrow? Yellow-rump was that you? So many so suddenly. Cardinal was first up this morning and has sung them all in. I’m sure of it. He has been singing now two weeks, greening-in the cedars, striking violet into branches of elm.
March 1, 2007 at 11:27 am
Was that Thrasher I just heard, going away? And the spring song of the white-throated sparrow? Yellow-rump was that you? So many so suddenly. Cardinal was first up this morning and has sung them all in. I’m sure of it. He has been singing now two weeks, greening-in the cedars, striking violet into branches of elm.
March 1, 2007 at 12:04 pm
And I’ve let the fire go out.
March 1, 2007 at 12:25 pm
I’m not sure I know the springsigns in this part of the world yet, but all looks pretty damn frozen still. It’s been warmer, certainly – the icicles all crashed down this morning – but like NH, we’re due for a foot or two tonight and tomorrow here in VT.
March 1, 2007 at 12:56 pm
Zuleme, I know the feeling – when we used to ski, we’d be having a fit at this time of year, wanting more. So enjoy!
Blork, yeah, I know – but somehow it’s never quite the same after that first March thaw, don’t you think? You know you’re headed toward spring.
Bill – your comments and bird-talk made my day. I loved this report and I’m rooting for your bluebirds – last year’s story was heartbreaking.
Kat – yep – we’re headed down this afternoon as soon as we can get out of here, hopefully ahead of the storm. Hang in there though, spring will come – this is the cruel time of hopes raised and then dashed. And then – your first mud season! Hooray!
March 1, 2007 at 12:56 pm
Zuleme, I know the feeling – when we used to ski, we’d be having a fit at this time of year, wanting more. So enjoy!
Blork, yeah, I know – but somehow it’s never quite the same after that first March thaw, don’t you think? You know you’re headed toward spring.
Bill – your comments and bird-talk made my day. I loved this report and I’m rooting for your bluebirds – last year’s story was heartbreaking.
Kat – yep – we’re headed down this afternoon as soon as we can get out of here, hopefully ahead of the storm. Hang in there though, spring will come – this is the cruel time of hopes raised and then dashed. And then – your first mud season! Hooray!
March 1, 2007 at 7:29 pm
Yup. I hear mud season is almost as fun as mosquito season.
(PS – I’m getting one of the free copies of your book! Whee!)
March 2, 2007 at 11:30 am
It was springlike yesterday morning, but last night we got some more snow, which is good because we want more skiing. Wet, icy snow, though, so shoveling is a bitch.
March 2, 2007 at 2:18 pm
I don’t know about spring but it continues to rain here in Brittany, France, much more of this and I will sprout gills and fins!
What would I give for 6 feet of snow..
March 7, 2007 at 5:34 pm
I’m ready for winter to be over.
Really ready.
March 7, 2007 at 5:34 pm
I’m ready for winter to be over.
Really ready.
March 8, 2007 at 7:55 pm
beth,
That is one lovely picture. The gold-dipped benches. It was warm mid 50’s on Saturday but it has been wicked cold for the past few days.