[MAR2019] Astronomical spring (the vernal equinox) arrived March 20^th this year. Meteorological spring arrives March 1^st every year—which, living here, sounds rather astonishing but who am I to argue with Environment Canada.

The pictures on this page were taken earlier this month. You see, I get to a point each year when I am pining for sun and warmth. And rather than joining the temporary exodus of Canadians to points south, I savour those specials days in late February and March when there is no breeze and the sun has become strong enough to actually feel warm.

Though the ground is still white in most places of the property, spring is indeed arriving. Each day a bit more brown shows through as it melts and recedes.

In the past week I have seen several chipmunks (not true hibernators but they do stay in their underground chambers during the winter months), yesterday I saw a groundhog (who do hibernate, dropping their body temperature from 99° F to 40° F, and slowing heartbeat from 80 beats per minute to 5!) scurry past the solar panels, and today I heard robins.