Transitions

There was never more than a thin blanket of snow in New Hampshire this winter, but that blanket is thinning and revealing what has been sleeping since last fall. 

The streams are tunneling under the remaining snow.  You have to be careful where you walk.  I came back from a hike in the woods, having fallen through the snow and up to my calf in a stream; taking my boot off I emptied out the remaining half-cup of cold water.

The growing spring light illuminates the stones in the stream, and the greening moss glows through the snow in the woods.

The tree trunk doesn't look any different despite the change in seasons.  But Amy and I really liked the pattern !!

We are seeing increasing signs of animal life.  A moose had been up and around -- we saw very fresh clear tracks.

The trails where small animals (field mice? voles?) had tunneled under the snow are now being revealed as the top layers melt.

The melting snow and running steams are making some great reflecting pools.  I am hoping, though, that a benefit of how little snow we have had is that the woods stay relatively dry during the spring, minimizing the summer mosquitoes !

Farewell to Winter

I give up.  Winter is over, pretty much before it ever started.  The winter aconite bloomed in our backyard today, and the snowdrops are out too.  Welcome to spring!!

Even the primrose leaves are peeking out from under their winter cover.  I will now stop complaining that we only had two days of cross-country skiing.  Congratulations to those who detest the snow.  Maybe the spring flowers will start early and take it slow, blooming for months and months.  That would be lovely recompense for the loss of winter 2012.

A 4-year-old's Birthday Party

Last weekend I had the chance to go to our four-year-old goddaughter's birthday party.  (We have been referred to as her "dogparents" but that's a tale (tail) for another time.)  It had been a long time since I was at a four-year-old's party.  I had forgotten how much fun they are!

Older sisters are a great ingredient for birthday parties.  (You can see that I was not the only one with my camera out.)

The Planning List is also essential.  In case you wonder why "Put together yellow brick road" is a task, this was a Wizard of Oz party and the birthday girl got to dress as Dorothy.

Of course another essential ingredient is a bunch of kids, all having a great time!  This was a particularly wonderfully sweet and cooperative group, even though many had never met the others before.

My artistic talents were pushed to the brink -- I had agreed to make "Pin The Heart On the Tin Woodsman" (who in this household is, for reasons I never learned, referred to as "The Tin Woman").

 I don't think glow sticks existed when I was a child.  Certainly glow-stick-glasses didn't exist when our children were four.  The world has been much improved.

Amy made a brilliant pinata (The Cowardly Lion, in case you weren't sure).

Other ingredients included doting parents and grandmothers.  And what would a birthday be without the cake??  Great fun.  I'm ready for the next birthday party!!