Tilting toward the Equinox

We're encouraged by the early signs of spring here. The heavy, hard layer of thawed-frozen snow is finally opening up in places. Look at the bridge above for one example. Look at the bridge above again and tell me whether you see a creature climbing up from the water onto the far span. Then look at the next photo up and tell me if you see that same creature walking away from us after it crossed the bridge. It is not a clear image, but it is too large for a mink, and it is not a beaver or musk rat or bobcat or fox or fisher or coyote or raccoon or possum or orangutan--the only remaining creature is an otter. And I congratulate our river bottom for making otters welcome.

Most of our thoughts today, though, are about David, who reported to Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, this morning at 11:00. He drove himself out there yesterday, arriving at his hotel around 4:30, when he called to let us know and to say that he was somewhat anxious but still confident that he will do well. We won't hear from him for a while now, and that will be difficult.

More news is that Alison was accepted--against her expectations--into Michigan State's PhD program in anthropology. Now the real fun begins.

And spring is advancing by great strides over the past few days. The horned larks moved in right behind the snow buntings. Two days ago, the first sand hill cranes were calling from high overhead. A flock of robins arrived about ten days ago, but that's also when the snow hit hard, and we haven't seen a robin since that day. But I'm sure they're back by now. This morning, I saw the first geese I've seen this year. We seem to have a herd of thirty or more deer that move up and down across our property twice every day: down in the morning and up in the evening. There is new green growth in the grass apparently only a few minutes after the snow melts away, and the deer are there waiting. The dog has a reputation among them for being a really funny-looking but annoying creature. But such is life here.