This winter scares me

This winter is scaring me. The warm temps and lack of snow is wrecking havoc in the garden. I walked it this eve and there are daffy's showing; scillias are up 3-4”; and there are buds on the bare hellebores. There is absolutely snow cover in the garden. I can't remember when this last happened.

Winter bird song is absent as they have found homes in the woods. I haven't heard nor seen Chickadee's, Junco's, Doves, Blue Jays, Cardinals or Nuthatches. The bird feeder, usually an all night diner for the feeding frenzies of our fine feathered friends, has become a squirrel suck 'm back eatery. Come on guys! Leave some for the birds! But alas there are no birds.

I drive by the Tay every day and it's free, flowing wild without ice. The level is at a typical April level after snow melt. Today the public docks are near road level. I don't like this. If we do receive snow and I'm saying SNOW, 2-3' in the next month or two, what will the level be come spring. Two years ago it flooded the park between me home and the river and that was a once in my lifetime experience.

The one highlight of the walk about was spying maple sap leaking out of a broken branch. It shone in the sun, frozen in time. O how I wanted to snap off a bit and savour the sugar but being of hobbit height I couldn't reach. Perhaps I'll find a ladder in the morrow.

natures sweet syrup

oozes from a broken branch,

squirrels lick their lips