Winter's grip wanes

We've been in the house six years now!  Nearly 9 inches of snow fell over the weekend, but yesterday really showed signs of spring.  Today and tomorrow are cooler.  The changing season can't be denied, though, as highs in the 50s are expected later this week, and there will be plenty of sun.  Winter's evidence remains obvious, as these pics from this morning prove.

Winter ends beautifully

Lots and lots of sun closed out winter.  The solar panels created 10 days of electricity in the last four days.  But spring will bring some snow.  Several inches are predicted in a storm that will start after dark on Thursday.  But it sure was a pretty end to winter. 

More bow sawing was completed this week.  Here's a downed red maple that will be processed for firewood in a few weeks.  An even bigger red maple is nearly cut through.  Expected winds from the snowstorm will likely bring that one down.

March temps looking warmer

We'll get a thaw for a few days, then a bit of snow on Sunday.  Overall, temps for the second half of March look promising as far as melting a lot of snow.  On a short walk today, more cutting work was planned.

Here's a pic from this morning showing lots of white on the ground and many tree trunks.  This is the lower part of the Curved Oak Trail, west of the house.

Down and out for another big spring pole

Today's forest story involves cutting down a big red maple spring pole.  This particular bend created a rather difficult cutting situation, but the tree was humbled in the lovely sun and above freezing temps.  Yes, we're having yet another winter thaw.

The first picture shows the trunk prior to use of the bowsaw.  Loppers helped clear the small trees and branches in the way.

This is the look up at the spring pole from beside the trunk, prior to cutting.  Notice the large number of branches at the top of the bend, a common feature of spring poles.  Trunk along the top of the bend receives a great deal of summer sun, leading to dormant buds sprouting quickly and creating branches.

This shows the humbled tree after cutting.

A lot of energy resides in a spring pole.  The sheer force of the falling tree ripped the bark and some inner wood off the compression side still attached to the ground. 

Future forest management

Two months or more may pass before chainsaws start working in the woods.  But a winter walk is a great time to plan.  Here's a small patch of ground where some cutting can take place to assist preferred species.

In this first picture, the red maple and pin cherry in the front block sun the yellow birch in back could be receiving.  The two trees slated to go also shade a few other trees.

The red maple stump sprout dominating the center of this picture hurts the young double-trunk sugar maple to the left, as well as a red oak bending south due to the crowded conditions.  Each of the red maple stumps are a goner.  It's difficult to take out a red oak, but maybe the sugar maples should get the benefit of less competition?

A bigger red oak, which can barely be seen in the middle of this picture, has lots of green trouble in this photo.  The numerous conifers surrounding the oak seem to be all balsam fir.  The brush cutter should be able to cut down all the bothersome fir.  The bigger trees behind the oak are to the north, so they won't block the sun.

Great afternoon for a walk

The winter's weather continues to be very changeable, the wackiest Hardwood Hermitage has ever seen.  From 50 degrees in an afternoon to below zero the following overnight period.  Snow-thaw-freeze-even more thaw-cold.  After about 45 degrees today, we'll get really cold again for days.

We had a great p.m. today, with lots of sun.  Even with the breeze, the pleasant temps meant a scarf and hat were not needed. 

This pic shows evidence of the thaw.  Many streams such as this flow in warm winters and then in spring, with water running below snow, or melting the snow away entirely.

A young yellow birch glowed amazingly beautiful in the 100% sunshine.

And now for some paper birches really enjoying the warm day.

 

Wacky winter

Weather pattern in January:  Really cold, thaw with more than an inch of rain, really cold, sunny and above freezing, snow squalls, then lots of sun.  Some snow expected this p.m. after a sunny start.  Then a bigger storm with several inches Tuesday into Wednesday expected. 

The winter forest remains grand every day, whatever the temps.  You'll just have to rely on older pics for that, since today is too windy and cold for a walk!