Snow Holes

Last Sunday's dramatic thunder snowstorm is almost a memory, but not quite.  In the deep cold shade of pines around Middlewood can be found islands of melting snow.  I like to see the way the brier, rose, and grass stubbles warm and melt the snow immediately around themselves, making tidy little holes in the snow. On yesterday's hike the entire pipeline was covered in holed  snow, and it wasn't just stubble, grass, and small stumps that I discovered in the holes. In one there was a dead Meadow Vole, five or so inches long with sleek and shiny gray/brown fur and hairless tail.  He looked like he was just taking a nap.  In another snow hole was a dead Song Sparrow.  Today, however, there have been no unhappy surprises, and the snow is melting fast. The high was 70 degrees, but in the sun it felt even warmer.  It was windy, though, so a light fleece jacket felt good.  Radu's hair blew straight up on his back and his ears flopped up in the stronger gusts.  He didn't seem to mind.  As usual, he waited patiently for me to finish drawing.

For the record, having thunder, lightning and high winds during a heavy snowstorm is quite strange. FLASH! BOOM! rumble rumble. I have never seen such huge snowflakes in such abundance. We kept running out to the side porch where we could look straight up into snow falling in the floodlight, then back inside to warm up and watch the snow pile up on the deck. It was amazing!  

Lines down and a three-day power outage was the price for all that beauty.