Sawzall and the sounds of spring

This is a noisy time of year. We're still a month and a half before the leaves have returned. The snow is mostly gone; what's left is hard-frozen or just plain ice. So, when the birds fill a tree or when Sandra gets out her Sawzall to cut up some scrap wood, the sound carries full volume a long way. The strong northwest winds that we've had for the past couple of days do shape the direction of the sounds, so we're hearing more from Main Street. When the winds let up, we can hear more from the stream behind the houses across the street.

We went for a walk through the woods that surround Alden Labs. Tree cutters have been busy, thinning the woods. Most of the big logs are gone so the fire road is littered with oak, pine, birch, and maple branches. The sawdust helps with traction over the ice, but it's work to keep your balance when climbing through the brush. We're expecting that the wood crews will return with chippers to take away the brush.

On the walk, we get to see neighbors whom we've not seen in a while. One neighbor proudly showed off the crocus buds that are just peeking above the ground. We shared news about this neighbor and that and heard the news of others.

We have a small front yard and so can use the excuse that, when we're outside, we're usually out back. That's true, but it's also true that we're shy. (Well, that I am.) Shyness begets shyness, even when we get a sunny day on this first weekend of spring.