What's Blooming? ... Frost!
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One has to be fast to catch these frosty images - they begin to melt soon after sunrise, and you can see small drips near the top.
It's hard to believe that it's really March! We're seeing the result of close to record snowfall - a bit more and we'll be up to 4m! (that's more than 12 feet for those of you who don't think metrically - actually, I think it's closer to 13 feet.) The snow's not 4m deep right now - that's the total amount that has fallen - but there is still a lot on the ground with more to come, and I wonder when in the spring we'll bid adieu to the last scattered patches.
It's been a wonderful year for cross-country skiing, and I have had a great time. I've been out bushwhacking every day that I can, and sometimes when I shouldn't. The forests and swamps that are inaccessible in summer - and even most winters - tempt me in every direction, and I make the most of it - to strains of "where do you think you're going....?" from behind. Sometimes I do toe the line, and follow predictable trails, though on the steepest downhills of some of them I have been known to resort to sitting on my skis. The back of my jacket fills with snow, but it's a small price to pay for maintaining control. I found grabbing passing trees with outstretched arms decidedly less satisfactory. I'm still not really happy going fast, since I haven't perfected the somewhat necessary skills of turning or stopping, but I am getting better about not always checking ahead for the best falling-down-to-stop spot at the bottom.
For a few weeks we were all somewhat restrained in our adventuring, given that there was a cougar afoot. A live trap had been set up nearby with a supposedly tempting treat of anchovy-slathered meat, and several neighbourhood dogs and raccoons had a good feed before wildlife officials removed it. There had been several sightings locally, but I wasn't lucky(?) enough to see even a pawprint, let alone the distinctive tracks. (long stride, often no claw marks, and the line of a dragging tail - I'm all set!)
Below are more window photos. The lower one is more elaborate, but the upper one shows the glow of sunrise, and I love the faint pink. Some people pay for frosted windows in their bathrooms - mine come for free! (The joy tempered by high heating bills)
I hope that the next "What's Blooming" photo will be of the garden, and that I get to be there to take it - though I think it will be while I'm away on the Africa trip. My dear friend Charles Landon used to keep me abreast of what my garden was up to, and this spring will give me fresh reason to miss him. I trust my blue river of grape hyacinths is intact, and the bulbs not again carefully dug up and piled by the squirrels. We'll see....
Have a wonderful spring!
Edie Jane
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