First Signs of Spring (house, gardening, health)

[msina]

I think there'll still be some when you get here Star!!!

[AustinB]

You are right Msina, this year is much like the days of my youth. Now I have to shovel the snow though. I'm finding it less than enchanting.

[bignhfamily]

Honestly, I do love the snow. Also, like most Yankees, I like complaining about the snow, then the bugs and mud, then the heat and humidity, etc.

I have a small number of driveways that I clear for folks. I used to rely on this as an income when work was scarce in the winters. Now, I do it because most of these people are seniors on fixed budgets and I still charge them what I did 10 years ago. I bring the 2 oldest (10 and 9) kids with me. They shovel the walks then we take some of the money to buy a pizza and rent a movie. Perfect snow day schedule.

Tomorrow will be another one of these days. I think spring is still a ways off.

[K-Luv]

Not exactly the first sign of Spring in Maine, but I have always loved the first-rain fall of the year. For some reason that first rain always smells different.

[elston]

I am loving this thread and look forward to the spring unfolding in its own time and on its own terms and you guys and gals chronically it.

[ILUVMAINE]

[quote=Northern Maine Land Man;2729993]Sap buckets on our sugar maples are the first sign of spring here. This happens with 3 feet of snow in the woods. It's a signal that winter is drawing to a close. Then comes "mud time" which is our fifth season. Even the guides flee and go to giant sportmans shows in places like Harrisburg, PA and Worcester, MA. Another sign is a sudden burst of calls from Connecticut from people wanting to buy land in Maine. There is no snow on their front lawn so they want to come to look. I ask them if they have their own snow shoes of if they need to borrow one of my 5 pairs. This is usually followed by a long pause. - - Snowshoes?

Buds, daffodils, forsythia, crocuses and such come much later.[/quot
Northern Maine Land Man - you make it sound just like a page out of Rockwell's book! You're so lucky to be there.

[ILUVMAINE]

[quote=bignhfamily;2777087]Honestly, I do love the snow. Also, like most Yankees, I like complaining about the snow, then the bugs and mud, then the heat and humidity, etc.

Complianing isn't limited just to Yankees! LOL We all are quilty fussing about what we have or don't have, wanting things we don't have and not wanting the things we do have, on and on and on

What you're doing for your senior citiizen customers is wonderful AND the example you are setting for your children is priceless. They may not know it right now, but you are building on some wonderful memories with them.

[deerislesmile]

My first sign of spring- pick-up trucks loaded with lobster traps going DOWN the island to Stonington Harbor.

[mainebrokerman]

signs of spring,,,daylight is of course longer with temps above 40,
as ice starts to recede from the ponds and lakes, ducks fly in.,,
seeing a robin is a sure sign of spring
concern of flooding, from winter run-off(along with heavy rains)
deer sightings in fields,,feeding on the newly sprouted grass.
and the symphony of tree-frogs!!

[McMar]

We are having our annual premature spring here in TN. High's in the upper 50's and 60's all this week and predicted for next week. The daffodil leaves are 6 inches tall, the azaleas are budded, my quince are in full flower. If this keeps up for a few more weeks, the tree buds will grow nice and fat, and just as they are about to pop open, they will get nipped by a freeze and the poor native dogwood blooms will be sad little green things. Parts of TN get really bad storms from our freaky cold-to-warm-to-cold-to-warm winters and springs. I'm in a pretty protected valley so we don't get too many tornadoes, but pretty much everywhere to the west of us is vulnerable to some awful weather. Just look at the nasty storms that killed so many people last week.

We have a falcon that visits our yard every so often. And lots of finches that hang out in our shrubbery. I have also seen a couple of bluebirds, which is pretty exciting because you don't see those too often around here anymore. But I do miss all of the Robins, cardinals, bluejays, and the mockingbird that lived in the back yard at my last house. Oh - and the bats too! I must admit, it will be tough trading my TN springs for Maine mud season.