Sure signs of spring
You know spring can’t be far behind when the geese start nesting in the channel by Longville. They have been back for a couple of weeks now and it’s great to wake up in the morning and hear their honking as they squabble over nesting sites. We were even treated to a pair of swans swimming with the geese for a couple of days as they took a break on their migration further north.
Pussy willows are another sign that things are getting better. Donna and I walk several times a week and the pussy willows are opening up along the road by the resort.
Robins are back. Not sure what they are eating right now but we have been seeing them for a few days.
One really positive sign that soft water will soon be here is open water in the channel between Girl and Woman Lake. We walk down Sarajac Rd. a mile or so and last weekend noticed that there was open water in the channel. The ice breakup always starts there.
But, of course, my most favorite sign of spring is when the sap starts flowing in the maple trees. We just finished up last years maple syrup this past weekend so it’s time for a new batch. I have 15 taps out now and several of the trees are putting out over a gallon of sap a day. Others are still waking up. In a couple more days there will be enough to start boiling.
And then, there is my least favorite sign of spring, the April Fools blizzard, which we are enduring right now. Forecast for the next couple of days is for 6″ to 12″ of new snow. Hang on a minute while I think of something positive about an April snowstorm. Oh yeah, it helps put water back in the lake and we have been low the last couple of years. I’m sure the folks up in Fargo have a different opinion about that.
So, generally, it appears that spring is here. Once we get rid of this snow we’ll be able to get outside and start cleaning things up for fishing opener. It always happens fast at this time of year. One day we’re having snow and a week later there is open water and the loons are back calling day and night as they begin their spring ritual. The first boat will be on the water before all the ice is gone and then the crappie will start slipping into the muddy boat channels looking for those early bug hatches. Hard to imagine right now, with 20 mph winds, 28* temps and snow falling, that our first guests will be here in six weeks.
Hope to see you then.
April 10th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Terry, at least the consolation for a long, snow-filled winter is the increased water levels in the lake for the summer!!! The Hier guys have been already talking about that each time I check the blog and we hear the latest snowfall amounts for Longville. We’re all getting anxious to visit the resort again in June — Jeremy is prepping his camera already!!! See you in June!