Snow and Mud.

4-16-15 VERMONT: We came up yesterday. Yesterday and today were both sunny and mild. There is still a ton of snow here. Not only the piles under the eaves but also the rest of the yard. The big pond is 98% frozen, but the little pond in the pasture is open according to Judy who walked down there with the dogs. I figured it was too rough and too far to go on crutches. Speaking of rough, the road is a total, muddy quagmire in all the wet spots.

The south end of the new house, a gable end, gets the sun and is always the first to melt free of the snow. Snowdrops along that wall are in flower, and some maples are flaunting big red buds.

The dogs enjoy running around, playing tag and exploring under the barns and don’t care if it’s mid-winter or mid-summer.

Birds are active, but we are not filling the feeders because many feeders in the neighborhood have been raided by bears, usually a terminal experience for the feeders.

I remember one harsh winter when the last drop of ice melted the same time as the first daffodil opened on April 24th. I think this year's snow will last into May.

New blooms: snowdrops.


Judy and Maizie.

Snow in front of the house.

Snow in the woods.

Snow in back of the house, frozen pond.

The little pond in the pasture is unfrozen. Maizie was swimming, Gus and Judy were not.