It is finally looking like spring!

Our first chipmunk was out on March 2, but our driveway was still covered thickly in ice.  A week’s worth of playing like children (cutting out channels to watch the water run, unblocking dams, and sliding down the remaining parts…) finally cleared things for a safe passage downhill into the garage without taking out structural pieces inadvertently.

Walking took us to spectacular local views, with a little bit of natural sculpture thrown in.

 

On March 9, the announcement was made that Shackleton’s ship, the Endeavor, had been found well preserved under 3 miles of water.  It seems so fitting this came shortly after our trip there, and was an amazing wrap up to an amazing feat.

The spring birds are arriving in daily—Redwing Blackbirds, Mountain Bluebirds, the Say’s Phoebe and tons of Dark-eyes Juncos.  The western ones are quite differently coloured than the eastern ones, featuring a rusty chest and a buff belly as well as their slate-coloured top.

March 14-20 saw the disappearance of ice on Lake Osoyoos, a little earlier than last year.  Our roof avalanches started, shaking the house when a large portion fell.  Neither of us stand near the roof edge at this time of year.

Winston the weasel showed up on March 20, still decked in winter white with the black tip on his tail (he might be Wanda...).  In the vineyards you could see workers prepping the vines, while some orchards were being torn out to be replanted as vineyards.

By the end of the month, most snow was gone from our yard other than the few remaining snowbanks in the shade or by the side of the driveway.

The first spring flowers are out:  Sagebrush Buttercup, then Western Spring Beauty, and finally Yellow Bells.

As might be expected in a dry environment, these plants are tiny.  The Sagebrush Buttercup flower is equal to a dime in size, and the tallest, the Yellow Bells, are only 2" high.

We had our first bike ride on March 27.  Although this all sounds very benign, the highest temperature we’ve experienced was on March 27 (15.3), quickly followed by single digits.  This year to date we have had only 26 mm of rain, and the snowpack is approximately 86% of normal, so it looks like another start to a dry season with great concern about wildfires.

Our social life has still been circumspect, but that will enlarge shortly.  With the warmer temperatures, we’ll be outside more and that will liven things up considerably.

I suppose you can say “No news is good news”, so this has been a good news month.

 

Thanks for visiting!