Magnetic Nord is the story about our homestead in Northern Minnesota on the shore of Lake Superior.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

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...




1 comment:

  1. More snow! Poor you! Surely this long winter will give up one of these days and let the warmer weather come. Penelope looks like she was having a ball with the finger...er, body paints!

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