For the last few weeks we have been engaged in the usual spring ritual of raking, stick picking and sawing up branches around the place. Between the ice storm last November, winter blizzards and windy days we have probably the most tree debris to clean up since we moved out here. One of the first times we walked around the acreage we counted 130 trees, most of them graceful, beautiful but frail white willows. Not the ideal tree for a windy environment. During Easter weekend we had both kids and their families out to celebrate, and our daughter brought her little Jackshund, Colt, not yet a year old. Our oldest dog, Marley, at 13 years old, has lost most of her will to play so was not very interested. Steve, our other dog, at 10 still has a little gas in the tank and so he and Colt went around the acreage together. After some time we realized we had not seen the two for awhile, and called and called for them. They had disappeared. Several of us got into two separate cars and went in opposite directions looking for them. During a pause in the search a van drove up and out hopped Steve. The driver said he found him in the grassy median of four lane Highway 20 looking scared and confused. When he opened the side door Steve jumped right in. He drove around asking neighbors if they knew the dog and someone said he belonged to us. We asked about Colt but he said only Steve was in the median. Now we had an idea what area to search and we did so, scanning the empty farm fields, driving Hwy 20, looking in culverts and ditches. No sign of him. We agreed that the young and inexperienced Colt was the one to wander off the acreage, with Steve following, because neither of our dogs will leave without one of us. For a few days after Steve stayed by our sides, lost his appetite and was spooked and skittish. There is still no sign of poor little Colt.

A warm beginning to March was chased in by a very cold February. Finally the temperatures drifted above freezing, and then higher. As the days went by the snow, which had been around since December, began to shrink. The snow banks grew smaller and the dark soil of the farm fields emerged. After the first week of March the snow covering the ground all around us was almost gone. The first storms in November had spread around a coating of soil that had blown off of the fields before they froze. Now that all the snow has melted there is a dirty layer covering everything, waiting for the spring rains to wash it off and soak it down. Within the first few days of March the birds began to return to the acreage, including multiple robins. The geese in their V formations are soaring back north, and closer to the ground the flies are buzzing around. Our dogs don’t really seem to care what season it is most of the time, as they roll on the ground as much as on the snow, and will eat anything they find most anytime. Of course as soon as I write about the coming Spring the National Weather Service has issued a a Winter Storm Warning for overnight and into tomorrow. I guess those lilac buds will have to wait a little longer to open up.