Trying to keep it together

I love spring for many reasons.  Mostly because I enjoy not having to wear so many layers while hiking.  I do like spring for the simple fact that I can go out and find new things appearing from what looks like a barren forest floor.

Here the ferns are just emerging on the 16th from on top of a rock. The curls are nearly as small as a pencil eraser.
Next to them is a Virginia Waterleaf emerging.

My grand daughter went on a very early morning hike with me on Sunday morning.
The dew was still heavy on the grass in the valley.

And as we dipped into the steep valley we walked into areas that the morning sun hadn't even come to yet.

Eventually we made it to the Big Spring.  It is a spot that water comes from a hillside and adds to the existing creek.  The spring sports a beautiful morning delight for us.
Marsh marigold everywhere.

Ariel busies herself while I take several shots of the flowers.  She works on a story line for Doe Story with a Meerkat and Fox toy.

Our journey kept us going.  Ariel asked if we could try a another route home and I said we could.  We decided to go along the rock ravine and climb up to the old logging road.

We had more adventures, but I am going to stop this here. I've run out of time today and have to get ready for work.
I know that we had a great time though.

To be continued...

The Ice Man cometh

The weather folks predicted 7-14" and we got a very bad ice storm out of it.  We had probably about 4 inches of sleet type stuff on the ground and the trees were covered in thick ice as well as anything that stuck up out of the grass.

Gate handles were encased in ice.

The trees were laced with ice that cracked and made a spooky kind of music when the breeze blew.

Chores were a bit more time consuming and difficult.  But eventually they got done and then my husband plowed the driveway. I really wished he didn't have to as I'd just completed raking all of the rocks out of the yard.

Looks like I have to do this job all over again once it melts and dries up.

It was late afternoon before the town grader came through.  The only person to travel our road was our neighbor.
The scenery was surreal and quite beautiful.

And in the evening the sun came out.  As we were doing evening chores, ice was falling from the trees.  However the sun set and the temperatures began to drop.

Some ice remained with an orange glow.

Our world was still iced this morning, but I imagine as soon as the sun peeks down into our 'hollow' the ice will melt.

Today the temperatures are supposed to rise again and there will be another quick melt off.  Hopefully this was the last of the winter weather for a while.

I can look forward to more muck in the next few days.