Tuesday 7 April 2015

The Hard Winter Into The Late Spring





Deer in Woods


While the East coast climbs out of a deep and heavy winter snow load, many people anxiously await the big melt that will officially start this late spring. The weather is milder but the white snow banks are still high enough to hide a view. We wait for rain as well as the sun to soften and lessen the snow. It is to be hoped that it will not result in too much flooding and come gently even if that means a little longer before we see the ground.

If we are suffering this long hard season, I imagine the wildlife have had a rough go of it. On the way back from the city a few weeks ago, I saw a number of large roadkill of deer and I believe a coyote or wolf. Anything moving before out in our fields has been absent for months and even the tracks we usually see from the night are much less in number. Yesterday we did herald our first herd of 9 deer walking the tree line in the back fields.They were a little thinner than I remember so that must tell of the hardship they experienced. Birds are just arriving in small numbers and I saw my first robin a few days ago near the front window. Definitely spring is coming and hopefully not too much longer. I felt guilty this last season so next season the birdhouse goes back up, maybe a bat house, and if the winter promises to be this hard again, maybe I’II invest in a few oats from down the road, to see the deer through the winter.
Plein Air of West River in progress


Speaking of the road, I made my first walk down the long drive and out to the road this week. The drive has been too icy for me to walk it as I recuperated this winter, and the road much too narrow for safety with the high and wide banks of snow. It is a freeing experience to get out and breathe the air and at least view a bit of the scenery over the banks. Soon I’II be able to go out for more walks, photoshoots, and plein air painting and experience the full summer again. It will be a special and noteworthy time for me and an appreciation only someone deprived two full warm seasons with health issues can understand. I intend to take in every bit of the summer and autumn this year and be out of doors often.
PLein air of West River Melt