Winter's last turn?

After a final dusting of about 3/4 inch of snow - which didn't seem to bother my little gang of Dark Eyed Juncos - see the evidence of their hopping around the snowy deck pecking for the seeds I had dropped there for them:

- the little snow melted away and we enjoyed a few beautiful warm (low 40's) sunny days in early March.   I could hear the songs of other birds - house finches? - as migrants began returning.  It felt like Spring could not be far away, and I made plans to go back to Connecticut for another visit to the office.  Then more snow was predicted on the day I had planned to make the trip.  So I moved the travel day to a day earlier and beat the snow.

In Connecticut we got about 4 inches, heavy and wet.  In Maine, David got about 14 inches.  I was away from Monday through Saturday morning.  A long visit.  Lovely to visit with H, see friends at work, catch up with D and V, but too long to be away.  I was so glad to get home.

And while there is still some snow on the lawns and in the piles where the city plows shoved it from the streets, the snow is melting and the sun is back out again.  It's hard to put my finger on it exactly but there's a sense of something stirring, getting ready to move if not yet moving.  It's going to be interesting to see how the "Season" affects the town, and life here generally.  David saw an add seeking "seasonal" help to fit out a schooner.

This morning I returned to my dawn-time walk with Ella.  One of the fishing boats at Ulmer's Point that had been shrouded in a plastic enclosure had been uncovered.  A real harbinger of springtime in a mid-coastal Maine fishing town:

While away I learned that Sam and my older grandson are going to visit during my grandson's spring break - just 2 weeks away.  I can't wait.  Here are some of the things I'm thinking we can do together while they are here for a few days:

** Walk out on the breakwater - if it's a warm day, not raining and not too windy

** Take the ferry to Vinalhaven, taking our car and driving around the island and then home again

** Visit the Rockland Public Library - they have a good children's section and Cacaho can take out books; they often have programs for kids - maybe they will while Cach is here

** Play in the little park near our house and take Ella (since dogs are permitting in the park from October 1 through May) and throw a ball and frisbee for her, and climb on all the neat devices they have for climbing on

** Go to the Lighthouse Museum in Rockland - David and I went when we were here to look at houses, after we made an offer on this house - but we didn't have a chance to stay long.  They have really neat exhibits, a lot of parts from real lighthouses and photos and videos.  Very cool.

** Cach can see and maybe help David with his re-fitting work on his kayak and the other work on the parts from my sailboat.  We have a real woodworking workshop in the basement these days.

I'm sure we'll have fun.  I just wish it were going to be warm enough to take Sam and Cachao kayaking and sailing, but not in midcoast Maine in April.  That's definitely summertime activity up here.

But one step at a time.  If we've seen the backside of winter, Spring is looking pretty good right about now.

Peace.