Saturday would have been a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi. However, I had to postpone it until Sunday morning. The early morning weather was mostly cloudy with a temperature of 31-degrees and a steady wind out of the southeast. Before descending the hill toward Mallard Marsh, I paused for a moment to recognize the Vernal Equinox. I faced east as the sun was peaking through a small opening in the clouds and welcomed it as today it crosses the celestial equator and begins to warm the northern hemisphere. As I approached Mallard Marsh, nine Mallards and two Wood Ducks flew off the open water. Walking on the trail through Bobolink Meadow, I noticed that since the snow was gone, there were several meandering ruts where small rodents had been tunneling under the snow. I turned at the entrance to North Woods and headed south toward Willow Wallow where I recalled how a few days ago I saw my first Turkey Vulture of the year as it soared gracefully high above Succession Field. I passed Willow Wallow and continued around Succession Field where I saw an Eastern Bluebird flying into South Woods. Instead of hiking up to Artist Overlook, I circled back to Willow Wallow and walked east along its edge. I climbed up the west side of Reflection Hill and followed the trail around the top where I noticed down on Grebe Pond, three pair of Canadian Geese and one pair of Mallards swimming silently. I hiked south down Reflection Hill past Frog Fen where I saw my first Song Sparrow of the year as it sang its beautiful song. I headed to Brady Cemetery, wandered around and stopped by one of the weathered monuments where I noticed some beautiful, yellow-orange Sulfur Firedot Lichen growing on its south face. I left the cemetery and followed the path into Native Grassland. I walked along the east side of Grebe Pond where I observed some new, green vegetation on the ground next to the trail that included moss and some kind of unknown leafy ground cover. Approaching the red barn, I recalled gazing overhead earlier in the week to see and hear my first KIldeer of the year as it flew east across the road. Also, I noticed an 18-ft. Pussy Willow tree next to the pond. It had catkins on its branches that sprouted pea-size, grayish fuzz balls. These appear a long time before the leaves and are one of the signs of spring. I passed the Classroom Building, removed the bird feeders and put them away until next year. Finally, it was time to get in the car and take off for home.
The fields are snowbound no longer;
There are little blue lakes and flags of tenderest green.
The snow has been caught up into the sky--
So many white clouds--and the blue of the sky is cold.
Now the sun walks in the forest,
He touches the bows and stems with his golden fingers;
They shiver, and wake from slumber.
Over the barren branches he shakes his yellow curls.
Yet is the forest full of the sound of tears....
A wind dances over the fields.
Shrill and clear the sound of her waking laughter,
Yet the little blue lakes tremble
And the flags of tenderest green bend and quiver.
Katherine Mansfield
Great pic!
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