Indoors & Out
Last night I encountered the first of several anticipated lady bugs. Every couple of springs they arrive and cluster in corners, like shy giggly girls at dimly-lit dances. This one looked so cute donning her frilly dust skirt; she happened to come out before I had a chance to spring clean. Here's her movie debut:
Nature springs and cleans, too. Below are two photos I took during different seasons at the same location——just below eye-level at a beaver dam along Margaret's Trail in Ward. A now submerged and destroyed boardwalk in this area linked to another trail system across RT 125. Yet, in the depth winter, when the ice is thick and safe, one can venture onto it and explore. I once spied fisher cat tracks and what I thought might be a beaver lodge. Alas, the smooth-boned tree trunks, once bushy with foliage, are now sign posts to forlorn white-blazed trail markers. In any other season this beaver battleground is expansive water.
With spring in the air, I went for a slushy run today in Ward Reservation before heading over to the Mary French and Hammond Reservations to check their conditions. In the past few years beavers flooded out some trails that are nearly impassable unless frozen over. So I was relieved to find that while the patch between Mary French and Hammond was a tricky balancing act with snow and ice on the boardwalks, the surface on either side remained firm. Hopefully it'll hold another week before we start to break through to the hibernating muck below. I wore YakTrax Pro but in hindsight I would have appreciated the extra toothy traction of Kahtoolas. The YakTrax also cut off the flow of circulation to my toes so I removed them after three miles. I then noticed the rubber wearing thin on their back outside section. Now I understand why the Kahtoolas are all metal on the bottom versus metal coils around rubber as in the YakTrax!
When I got home I noticed that in spite of the early March snow storm, the flower garden is full speed ahead with its shoots busting forth. This photo (with the snow) captures Spring's determination!
Here are the same eager daffodils in early February.PROGRESS!
8 comments:
It looks like you are a few weeks ahead of us. My daffodils are still under a few feet of snow!
Signs of Spring is here Do you know which species is your photo of the Ladybug? New blog on the Hx. of the Ladybug: http://historyoftheladybug.blogspot.com/
Signs of spring are here! Do you know which species the Ladybug is in your photo? New blog on the Hx. of the Ladybug: http://historyoftheladybug.blogspot.com/
I love your posts, Emily! You are such a sensitive and talented writer! The pictures are beautiful as well! I had an incredible run today - my only regret was that I did not wear shorts! Happy Spring! Ana-Maria
Laurel, I have great southern sun in my front yard so my snow melts off quickly and my flowers bloom earlier than most in the neighborhood. Great news for blooming, bad news for snowmen.
Ladybug folks, I made a film of the same ladybug, perhaps you can ID the species. I have no idea except that she's cute and brings lots of friends. I'll investigate the History of the Ladybug blog. What a great idea! Glad to share ladybug admiration with you. To my mini-film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwOAXPQ-KAE
R & L, thank you for your compliments! JOY! So happy to know you are a reader of my blog ;-) Saturday's weather WAS amazing-spring like! I am not quite ready for running in shorts but transitioned to Capri-length pants this past week...soon I'll break out my running skirts. OH yeah!
March 8, 2009 10:15 AM
You were so upfront about not having done your spring cleaning yet that trailing the dust bunnies behind her added so much to the video! But I would say the poor ladybug was a disoriented bride trailing her train behind her, trying to get to the church on time! Also while on the UTube link I really enjoyed seeing Wookeeie cat fetching the yellow mouse. Love, mom
Looks like some fun winter adventures have been had this year and thanks for bringing some hope and color to this long NE winter.
I Stumbled upon your blog, enjoying your ladybug film from sunny Tampa. It is so foreign to think of snow and strapping artificial claws to the bottom of one's feet. I imagine leaping and bounding successfully around patches of ice and slippery, snow covered rocks is quite exhilarating.
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