Well, we finally made it! After grinding through from the eight and three quarter hour shortest day in December, we arrive, this week, at about 12 hours of daylight! The sunset is almost at 7 p.m. This is so helpful for those of us who are challenged by the lack of daylight.  It's a good sign of things to come. 

Among the encouraging seasonal events that help us recognize our annual reinvigoration are a variety of easily noticed changes. The tree buds have really begun to swell. As the sun gets stronger and the temperatures moderate, we can begin to see, the swamp maples especially, clusters of new growth as trees begin to pump nutrients out to the branches. A good sign for those who will be making maple syrup with pretty ideal cold nights and warming days. It seems to me that we’ve had a decent set-up for this year’s sap run. Maine Maple Weekend is March 22 and 23. Check out your favorite producers. 

Another, sort of whimsical, event signaling the advance of season is the return of ducks to their favorite swimming holes. Each year about this time, we begin to see our feathered friends cruising by and over water bodies hoping to find their safe landing community. Some of the ponds and lakes are not thoroughly cleared of ice, but you can notice heightened activity along the shores and around the edges of remaining frozen sections. Our ducks at home on the pond have had to delay their return a bit due to significant ice from our last serious cold. But, with any luck, milder temperatures and rain, there will soon be new space for the 10 or so critters that return. I suspect though that more ducks are deciding to stick around for the winter as weather has become less severe. I know that I have seen more geese around during winter than previous years. 

The ice melting on West Harbor Pond is the visual for this week’s adventure. The image was made from the north end of the pond where water overflowing from Knickerbocker Lake enters. The ice on the other end of the pond, at the causeway, is still hanging in there. I suspect the thawing on the north end, adjacent to Lakeside Drive, could be influenced by the flow of water coming into the pond, having been warmed a bit on its approach through vegetation. Of course, warmer days and stronger sun play into the melting as dark areas along the shore would create and hold more heat. The waters are dark there, in the shallow areas, which warm the water, too. I’m sure there are other explanations as well, but I look at the de-icing process as a sign, fascinating to watch. Each trip around the pond reveals more water and less ice. It'ssort of a seasonal reference, easily understood.    

So, as we chug along to warmer days, shorter nights and stronger sun, keeping in mind past seasonal weather setbacks, watch out for ducks waddling across the road (along with turkeys and frost heaves).  

Enjoy the spring!