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.

Future and past life

The woods always provide images of hope and potential.  On a sunny afternoon recently (and we've had several in a row before snow later in the week), a look up the Berry Slope offered one such shot. Behind the line of baby birches, the bare area covered by snow will include lots of blackberries in about 6 months.  Expectations of fresh raspberries and blackberries fill winter thoughts here.  Several bags from last year are still in the freezer!

An excellent hardwood grove, perhaps 250 feet north of the first pic above, offers another example of how much future life already grows well here.

Future and past life exist in the same frame constantly.  In the middle of this photo, the large remaining trunk of a gigantic, long-gone paper birch provides a landing spot for some snow.  Young hardwoods circle the old stump, almost as if they are protecting the revered spot of such a spectacular tree.  Red oak, sugar maple, and white ash young ones are part of the security detail of the stump.

This a.m. brought the demise, via bowsaw, of an old red maple that had been dying back for years.  This will be firewood, eventually, but much work remains.  For now the tree gives way, creating some space for much young trees to get more sun.  Forest management always means getting rid of the old for the benefit of the new.

Walks and work in winter

Walks since the ice storm thankfully show very limited tree damage from the ice storm.  Snow covered wood in the forest reminds one of the ceaseless task here to keep the firewood supply in mind.

Although not the most preferred tree here, black cherry has a place.  This double trunk stands near a key walking trail, with snowy conifers in the background.

The bowsaw went to work yesterday and today.  Pictured below is a downed white ash spring pole.  The current ice storm did not cause the lean in the tree.

Ice storm

Usually mid-winter gets too cold for an ice storm, but plenty of rain fell on Friday, in between 6 inches of snow.  From a walk today, tree damage appears rather minimal.  There will be a few spring poles created, but young birches have weathered the worst of it.  We should start to see some ice dripping off trees this week, but we have more snow tomorrow.  The low this a.m. was well below zero.

Ice on trees can be destructive, but also pretty.

Jut, field, and mountains

The south line of trees in the Jut can be seen on the left of this picture, with the neighbor's field in front, and the Kilkenny Range in the distance.  What a beautiful (but cold) day!!!!!