The first robin of the year greeted us outside of the kitchen window.  In the meanwhile a flock of juncos pecked the ground around the cabin-looking for the last of the grass seed we sowed last summer.  The bathroom window is open.  The house is breathing fresh air.  Osier Creek is flowing- cascading amongst the mire of rhyolite along it's graceful journey to Lake Superior.

Our lower culvert remains frozen.  One would think that after a decade in the water business I would have a better grasp on the spring runoff of my own property.  I''d be lying if I said that I did.  With the frozen pipe we are a matter of inches of flooding out the base of our driveway.  Good thing that now a days it takes a lot to get me worried.  When living in the woods and building you learn very fast to roll with the punches because if you get phased by the first one you'll surely get knocked out by the one to come.  Instead I'm chipping ice and building up our ditches.

Down by the lake Mountain Ash has begun to bud.  Canadian geese fly north to their nesting grounds in the Canadian wilderness.  Snowshoe hare are almost completely summer brown.  Chickadees, juncos, yellow-rumped warblers continue their endless assault on the bird feeder.  There is bear scat on the Arrowhead Trail.  I spotted a Moose licking salt on the Gunflint Trail.

Albeit later than average, spring has finally come to the north woods!

Penelope loves mud season!

Is it April yet?

A subzero morning ushered a late spring snow storm out of the northwoods.  More than a foot of snow fell with this last event.  An official 22 inches was reported along the Gunflint Trail.  Over three feet of snow greets the unsuspecting traveler if one mistakingly steps off the trail.  Otherwise the packed trails bode well for swift travel.  Despite the warm glaring sun and chorus of birds in the woods spring doesn't seem to want to begin!

 

 

I'm just happy to be home.  I've been on the road for the most part of the last couple of weeks driving white-knuckled through two major winter storms.  Then when I am home I'm busy getting white-washed behind the snow thrower preparing for the next round.  Our travels down south have allowed us to resupply with some much-needed pantry items as well as building supplies for interior projects that I'll be pecking away at in the next month or so.

 

Typically at this point in the season we would be hiking and biking.  However, this year sleds are still the preferred mode of transportation for Penelope.

Dressed for cold wind.

 

 

A dark-eyed junco feeds during whiteout conditions.  Yes, that is a blizzard!

 

Calibration

Finally.  The first trickle of water flowing down Osier Creek signals the semi-official proclamation of spring.  There was a different sensation to the drive up our road today.  Creamy white riffles of melted water running down the ditch brought a entirely new feeling to the land. 

Watching an animal calibrates oneself.  You move when it moves.  Driving up to house I startled a nice, mature white tail doe.  She was standing near the top of the way and made a short jump towards the tarp-covered birch logs I cut last fall.  I turned off the truck, stalkingly opened the door and got out into the warm spring air.  Her eyes met mine.  We traded motionless thoughts for a few minutes.  Her ivory white snout peaked her face and lined the perimeter of her enormous telescopic ears.  The dull yet rich brown of her winter coat shined in the sun.  Finally she wagged her tale just like a dog conveying it's "I'm alright" message.  I remained standing there staring without movement.  A couple more minutes later she chewed the grass that she had been enjoying prior to my startling arrival.   A couple more minutes passed and a overwhelming sense of relief engulfed me.  All of a sudden my anthropegenic troubles of the daily grind in town passed over.  I was back in the world that I feel most comfortable.  A place were time, gravity, temperature and choas reign supreme.  This world makes sense to me. 

Back at home in front of the stove something curious falls from the sky.  I'm not entirely sure what this form of precipitation is.  Small, condensed balls of sleet?  Snow?  A little cold rain?  It's spring? 

April Snowman

 

Winter stubbornly maintains it's fragile hold on the north woods.  Leaning on a shovel standing in five inches of heavy slushy spring snow from yesterday's storm and talking about maple syrup evaporating techniques with the neighbor was decieving.  The sun was out.  Melt dripped off the trees and roof.  Yet given the "fresh blizzard look of the forest" the topic of conversation seemed to be the only hint as to the actual season.   

 

April snow brings what exactly?  Hopefully no more drought!

The compactable snow made for perfect snowman conditions. 

 

We named him Gilbert.

Despite the marginal weather critters are certainly on the move.  The snowshoe hare have a speckled brown hue peppering their otherwise snow white fur.  A pileated woodpecker excavates dead poplar snags on the hill above the house.  Ravens perfect their clever practice of diving between the boards of the otherwise covered compost pile pallets, pulling out uncomposted food and handing it out to it's partner.  They then climb out and feast on their bounty.

Outside snow accumulated.  In the meanwhile, Penelope painted the spring storm away in front of the wood stove.

I was planning on tuning up my bikes and spool fresh line on the fishing pole! Instead we spent our time clearing the driveway, roof, walkways and building snowmen.  More snow and rain are in the forecast...

Mud season

Mud season.  Pussy willows have begun to sprout.  Although the ditches have been slowly flowing about 12" of snow remain in the woods during this nice, slow spring melt.  The daily freeze-thaw cycle has left a thick hard crust on the snow pack allowing one to walk over it in boots.  Back country travel is fairly easy in these conditions.      

Your entire routine changes during mud season.  Our footwear remains as insulated rubber winter boots but everything else begins to adjust to the static season.  Fleece replaces down jackets.  Baseball hits replace their distant wool stocking cousins.  The dog's feet must be cleaned upon arrival at the threshold.  Daylight walks are possible after dinner! 

Penelope bundled up in her wagon.

Despite the improving weather conditions at home we spent the better part of last week in southern Minnesota celebrating Easter with family.  

Here my two "little" sisters show off our egg-dying skills.

We brought Penelope to a small local zoo while we were "down south".  It was kind of odd yet very exhilarating to watch the wolves, fisher, lynx, cougar and otter up close and behind fencing.  I admittedly had a hard time getting over the irony that every single animal at this zoo literally lived in our back yard.  That is except for the cold-blooded timber rattlesnake.  I'm alright with this.  I'll gladly take a wolf or black bear any day over a venomous, highly-camouflaged, cold-blooded, fang-ridden reptile! 

"Gimme that"

Penelope thought the lynx was pretty cool but she really just wanted to see that camera!