March 15th—the customary day for the pond’s total ice melt. That almost happened this year as well. But about 20 per cent of the surface retains a thin skin of ice and the ground is covered with about ½ inch of early morning sleet and ice pellets. This disgusting turn of events followed two days with temperatures in the 70s!MY ODE TO ICE OUT—
Slowly the pond escapes winters icy grip; morphing from the sequin-studded, snow-covered white to a flat gray with random shaped pools of melt water.
Pressure cracks vein the surface and narrow ribbons of open water bubble along the sun exposed shorelines; teasing us with a glimpse into the pond’s liquid clarity.
The inlet creeks paint a darker and ever-growing gray area in the ice as the warmer inflow melts it from the bottom up.
One day you notice a slight gray-green translucence as the ice slowly yields to the water’s spring colors attempting to bloom through the ever-thinning surface.
Then, a final gasp of slush dissolves into open water in all but the Southwest corner which is shaded from the warming sun.
Finally, it too, quickly yields to the water’s more temperate mass as it dispatches this last remnant of winter.
Slowly the pond escapes winters icy grip; morphing from the sequin-studded, snow-covered white to a flat gray with random shaped pools of melt water.
Pressure cracks vein the surface and narrow ribbons of open water bubble along the sun exposed shorelines; teasing us with a glimpse into the pond’s liquid clarity.
The inlet creeks paint a darker and ever-growing gray area in the ice as the warmer inflow melts it from the bottom up.
One day you notice a slight gray-green translucence as the ice slowly yields to the water’s spring colors attempting to bloom through the ever-thinning surface.
Then, a final gasp of slush dissolves into open water in all but the Southwest corner which is shaded from the warming sun.
Finally, it too, quickly yields to the water’s more temperate mass as it dispatches this last remnant of winter.
CRITTER NOTES—
Wednesday I had four pair of Wood Ducks frolicking on the pond and yesterday a pair of Hooded Mergansers acted like they were in the mood to make more mergansers. I also noticed my first goldfinch beginning to show his bright yellow breeding coloration.
In a later phone conversation with an old friend and new blog reader, Deb of Bellville, she explained she had honey bees recently taking seeds out of her bird feeder.
Wednesday I had four pair of Wood Ducks frolicking on the pond and yesterday a pair of Hooded Mergansers acted like they were in the mood to make more mergansers. I also noticed my first goldfinch beginning to show his bright yellow breeding coloration.
In a later phone conversation with an old friend and new blog reader, Deb of Bellville, she explained she had honey bees recently taking seeds out of her bird feeder.
Ah, those amazing critters.
1 comment:
Honey Bees in bird feeder? Interesting. Might have to be careful where they might end up on the food chain.
CW
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