40 degrees

From: Caroline
Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2003 7:56 AM
Subject: 40 degrees

at six thirty this morning gives me hope that the wretched cold weather is over. I have no objection to it in January and February, but March? There is still a white blanket on the fields and after Thursday's snow, a single track - that of a fox. Because it was slightly wet under the snow I could see his/her actual print, in that characteristic line - straight as if drawn with a ruler. No other tracks, no deer or coyotes, not even any bird prints. The pussy willows have burst their sheltering sheaths and wear them like little pointed brown caps. Finally the Chinese witch hazel is blooming - almost a month later than usual. Despite the snow, the house finches and the white throated sparrows are starting to sing - must be the strength of the sun (on our few sunny days) and the length of the day light that are causing wonderful and complicated changes in their little bodies. And all my plants and shrubs are certainly being well watered with "poor man's manure" as snow used to be called as it is supposed to contain more nitrogen than rain. There's lots of water on the roads all seeking the lowest spot and making an extraordinary number of pot holes. Sometimes there are advantages to living on a hill.

I am really glad I don't have a younger dog. Taking Zoë for her afternoon run has been something of a problem as on black top roads it has been hard to see the difference between wet melted ice and a treacherous frozen slick. Now that the big drifts have pretty much melted away we can go slogging through the fields again. I don't think that would be enough for a puppy. Speaking of which, I will be seeing that adorable Haley next weekend. She was one of a litter of 14 and is settling in very nicely. Fortunately there are two older dogs in the house, already to teach her manners and even Zoë gave a few cautionary snarls when we were there at the end of last month.

I know that some of you are having a really miserable time with ice and mud and animals to take care of. I stopped to see my horse yesterday and her paddock was half frozen and half gloppy earth. Guess this time of year has always been a tough one for New Englanders. Love to all