85

85. That was the record-setting temperature yesterday. In other places - including Rhode Island and western Massachusetts -- it reached 90 degrees. Rhode Island being the state that was nearly washed away in last weeks floods. We fared better here.

Amazingly the fire danger here is Very High, despite the three recent floods that saturated the ground to overflowing. Several recent days of dry wind and warm weather combined with lots of new woody debris on the ground (felled by the Nor'easters) has increased the risk of brush fires getting out of control.

The wet and the warm weather has brought out the ticks, mosquitoes, and black flies. More welcome spring signs abound though. Kodi and I walked a portion of the Sweet Trail yesterday. Bella's spirit was strong; I last walked this trail with her, when the wetlands were frozen and the heron nests were silent. My heart ached. I still miss her. On yesterday's visit the herons were back, arranging their nests. Mallard, wood duck, and hooded merganser pairs swam beneath the heron rookery. Newly arrived hermit thrushes flitted through the understory. Kodi got to explore another new place. His world is unfolding joyously. He likes the outdoors.

Each new spring day brings so many new things to see and hear: toads trilling, chipping sparrows chipping from roadsides, tree swallows, ruby-crowned kinglets and a belted kingfisher, ant hills and mole hills, blueberry buds, white-throated sparrows singing oh sweet Canada, Canada, Canada.

Lungwort in full bloom in the garden.