Our first snowfall was about 4 inches and we've had cold temperatures to keep it around. Keeps my bird feeder busy. Perhaps this is our white Christmas- 2 weeks early!

I was digging my sweet potatoes, and this is what I found. I think the shovel sliced the egg open, so he may have hatched prematurely. But he was perfectly formed. I let him go at our creek- which was quite some distance away. Amazing how far his mom must have traveled. And I'm not sure turtles are suppose to be hatching in October! There were two other eggs. One was just the shell- the occupant gone. The other was an undamaged egg that I reburied in a safe place (my flower bed) so the tiller later in the fall wouldn't scramble it.

                                                        I think it's a snapping turtle.

I went out to get my mail barefoot, and almost stepped on this!

 Look what I found in my creek! I have a life long love of turtles. As a kid, we used to find them in the woods and bring them home to our "turtle pen." They always escaped eventually, but we loved having them as temporary pets. Can't do that now- against the law. So I left this one right where it was, and ran to get my camera!

I love finding spider webs on a dewy morning. Another dash for the camera before the sun got too high.

                                        Hurray!  My roses are blooming!

Found my first nesting bird. Spring and its ways are coming despite the winter weather that has hung on so long this year. God does promise that season will follow season. This bird believes Him.

 The record-breaking late March snowstorm struck overnight. Morning brought wintry landscapes where there should be flowers budding.








One nice thing about Spring snow; it doesn't last long! The melt began by afternoon.

Snow Caterpillars

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                                                            Caterpillars made of snow

                                                                 creeping up the trees.

                                                           They don't mind the cold and ice

                                                                 or the chilly breeze.

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                                                          Climbing, climbing, carefully,

                                                                  but if they slip and fall,

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                                                      they giggle, wiggle, hang on tight-

                                             

                                                                back up a tree they crawl.