Tree-Bud Explosion

There were a few days in the 50’s last week and everyone around here was beyond themselves thinking that the cold may be over. OK, so it’s not International Falls or anything, but this winter has seemed a bit harsher than that in recent years. Spring is on the mind.

But, we’re back in the windy 30’s - a reminder that we have some time to go before we can get the Chaco’s out. 

However… the snowdrops and crocuses are hitting the scene and there are hints of emerging greenness here and there. Part of this movement is the tree-bud explosion. It hasn’t happened yet, but one of these days I’ll go out and the trees will suddenly have volume in their canopies. 

At the moment, the trees are bare, though there is evidence that the buds are on, but they just haven’t opened. But they will. In what is seemingly an overnight process, the trees along the Conestoga will fill the lattice that has been empty throughout the winter and the forest will have volume. 

And we’ll be that much closer.

Explosion in the sky - not the trees... yet.

FOMO

Last month it felt like I went out nearly every night of the full moon week. This month, I made it out once with the moon. High moon early in the evening at 97% on February 10. 

It was pretty sweet, but… the blue-ribbon moon night was Wednesday, February 12 - the full moon. It was huge and when I saw that thing up there, I wanted to go. Alas, I watched the moon float above Lancaster City as I went out for something to eat. 

Strange to think that with the number of times that I go out that I would have feelings of FOMO from time to time. What’s happening out there? Maybe something crazy! Yes, of course, there is something crazy happening out there, there always is, but I know that I’ll get out there tomorrow or the next day or tomorrow and the next day.

Something's happening out there!

The Devil Tree

After a little break in the weather, we are down to the teens and the ice is BACK! There isn’t much, but it is starting to form along the banks in some slow spots. This is in addition to the ice roots and ice shelves that formed as the water receded following the recent crest at 5.5 feet or so (3.2 is pretty normal). 

I went out with the higher water yesterday, and although I missed the 5’s, it was pretty sweet to go out with a bit of a flow and an occasional tail wind.

Things change with higher water and the usual route down the “rapids” is currently blocked by a tree truck that settled nicely against the bank, essentially creating a dam blocking what used to be a smooth run. Amongst the routes riddled with rocks and clunks, there is at least one smooth route. The ivy-covered trunk is without any branches and only a bit of water cascades through it and the rest of the debris that is all piled up over on that side. 

Turns out the trunk is from the Devil Tree, a dead scraggly thing that had bare branches that looked like the Abominable Snow Monster’s arms. The ivy on it created a huge robe that covered the monster’s head and body (but not the arms) and around dusk it looked really creepy. It was just waiting to crash on someone (but not me) while they checked out the leaning sycamore on the other side and wondered if it was going to fall. No way, it’s the Devil Tree you have to look out for. 

Well, not anymore.

The Devil Tree