Chainsaw season starts

Today was the first use of a chainsaw for the season.  A dead paper birch, dropped with the bowsaw over the winter, is now in 22" lengths.  Splitting will take place when the snow goes away.  The tree was about 600 feet from the house, so walks and wheelbarrowing will retrieve the split pieces.

Wackiest time of year

The seasons can be rather predictable on the type of weather you get in the Great North Woods.  As spring starts, though, you never seem to know what can happen.  At the end of winter, the temp was about 55 degrees.  Yesterday morning and today saw perfectly clear skies at sunrise, but temp was only about 14.  Warm snow predicted Monday afternoon.  The snow melt has progressed, and what we will get tomorrow shouldn't last long.

Here's a pic from yesterday, looking up the north slope on a lovely afternoon.  It's one of those many places here where if you're walking between birches, you're on the trail.

Snow melt progress

The left picture below was taken eight days ago.  This afternoon from the same spot, you can see the amount of snowmelt we've been having.  The photos look south toward one of the west facing slopes that will be filled with berries in 5+ months.

Signs of the times

We've been experiencing an early spring over the last week.  Temps exceeded 60 degrees.  Windy and cooler today, but a lot of melting is happening out there.  Signs of the times include emerging rock walls and seasonal springs.  Chainsaw and brush cutter will be roaring in perhaps two weeks!

Looking and feeling like winter

Another cold morning to start March.  Plenty of snow left, with some rain likely this week.  In a neighborhood overrun with paper birch, a young oak enjoyed the first sunrise of March today.

A much older oak, on the blog before, has suffered through the elements for 200+ years, but lives on.  The big hole near the base of the tree isn't getting larger.  The remaining crown looks good, so perhaps this gnarly, battered old fellow has some decades left.