In Like a Lion...

You know how they say March "comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb"?

( Any of you remember the SNL Weekend Update bit, early on with variations on that theme: http://whatsit2you.blogspot.com/2008/02/march-comes-in-like-lion-but-goes-out.html)


Well, it's nowhere near going out yet, but it sure came in roaring and quickly changed its tone this year! Sunday night and Monday morning, we got about 6" of snow here in Northern VA, and folks east and north of us got more. I went for a walk Tuesday, and it was still pretty darned cold and there was lots of snow on the ground, as you can see here.





But in the last few days it's been steadily getting warmer, with the highs this weekend slated to be in the 70s! And this morning, as I was just heading into the woods for my ride to work, I saw these flowers... the first wildflowers of spring I've seen this year! Not sure what they are... flora identification has never been my strong suit. Anyone? Anyone?



Tonight after work, I decided to extend my ride home by a few miles, just cruising along the W&OD rail trail a ways. Not far from here there's a little wetlands area, and tonight it was alive with frogs... the songs of spring peepers and wood frogs filling the air. An amazing sound, and one of my favorites since I was a child. Frogs have always been special to me, and their song has always made my heart smile. I tried to figure out how to load them here, but to no avail.

It was a lovely night and a wonderful ride. The air was just cool enough that I was glad to have a light, long sleeve wool jersey on over my t shirt, but warm enough to feel like the first blush of spring. The deer were out in force tonight, and I even heard a lone goose honking by a stream... I have no idea why, but there he was, honking away. The moon was bright, though not yet full... all in all a gorgeous night... the kind of night that makes you glad to be out in it.