Welcome back from spring break! Hope y’all had a grand time sunning, catching up on school work, visiting family and friends, or just hangin’. With spring break now behind us, we’re in the final stretch of the semester. There’s a hum in the air as the entire community–faculty, staff, students–hunker down and push onward to get through these final weeks.
However, here in the NEK, spring is turning up everywhere. The crocuses have bloomed, and the daffodils and tulips won’t be far behind. The robins have been here for a few weeks now, as have the male red-winged blackbirds. The deer are wandering far and wide for food. And, the skunks…the skunks…are out and about at all times of the day.
To me, this is quite surprising. I’ve never seen or smelled a skunk in broad daylight. However, in the past week, a skunk as sprayed twice in our neighborhood just around dinner time, and this morning, I saw one in the field walking toward me. What time was that? 7 a.m.! I had two dogs with me, thankfully the wild one was on the leash already, and I had to grab the other one by the collar and drag. And, despite having the two dogs, the ol’ skunk just kept walking towards me! I can do without that kind of excitment in the morning.
Another sign of spring? Wanderlust! I used to get spring fever (April Fool’s–a bit late) so badly when I was in my late teens and early twenties. I’d just want to get in the car and drive south or west to warm sunshine, warm breezes, and water that you can swim in. Thankfully I haven’t experienced that in a very long time. It was just too darned uncomfortable. However, on nice days, I’d take a pay cut to be able to just be outside in the warm sun and air. I crave it.
So, are you finding it hard to concentrate? Have you seen any moose? What signs of spring are you seeing or experiencing now? LET’S HEAR FROM YOU!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, and don’t forget to check out these library resources:
Birding in Vermont (‘Tis the season)
The outside story: local writers explore the nature of Vermont and New Hampshire
A year of the stars: a month-by-month journey of skywatching
The spring equinox: celebrating the greening of the earth
Baseball: a literary anthology containing that famous piece “Casey at the bat”
Wandering home: a long walk across America’s most hopeful landscape, Vermont’s Champlain Valley and New York’s Adirondacks
The hobbit, or, There and back again
Sally goes to the beach
We can get the call numbers for you if you need help. Finally, get out there and enjoy the coming warm weather, all creatures great and small, but get that work done!
