mumma yaga

 Mar. 31 This morning the sun is shining and it feels like a true spring morning. Our meadow is filled with pink sunshine and the branches of the pine trees are red with expectation of new life. Suddenly there are birds. Through the winter there have been chickadees, crows and the pair of ravens who live here. This morning in the early sunshine I hear bird song all around and there are mating pairs flirting across the sky. A redwing in the first witch's hair, and three Bluejays in the blind witch's branches. Last night I heard the owl on the ridge for the second time.   Fig, glad to be back, he is king of the mountain! We arrived back at the Vineyard at supper time on Sunday. The drive was uneventful in the extreme. Traffic was very light on the 401; we ran into a bit of a rush as we started south from Montreal. But those cars gradually trailed off to their destinations and we were almost alone for the last 70 km. It was quite surreal to be here at first, after spending a week

Mar. 26 How the chestnut branches curl up like fingers! The buds are getting fat.        Snow drops, our single white crocus that comes up by the maple tree each year. A neighbour has lovely egg-yolk yellow crocuses.     The squill are usually later than the crocuses, and also twice as tall as these ones!  ***** Yesterday the sky was a cloudless blue. Fig and I went to the hydro field and the cardinals were singing a spring song, with extra trills that I don't remember hearing before! There were woodpeckers knocking and robins singing their robin songs. Snowdrops are out and crocuses, yellow, white and purple everywhere. Tulip leaves are up and overnight some daffodil leaves shot up! Today the air is soft with the rain. It smells of Lake Huron; the wind is louder than the city noises and drowns them out. The natural world is as palpable here in central Etobicoke as it is on our green mountain in The Estrie. ***** Indre, Robin and I have been working in the dollhouse finding new fur

 Mar. 23 We arrived in Toronto just in time for the blue skies and sunshine. Birds are singing everywhere. The 427 and Dundas Street are roaring. Not as bothersome as expected; rather it is like the roar of the city's blood in its veins. This is, after all, my home. I grew up here.     Fig is enjoying being at home. He's been out to explore the back yard several times. I have taken him to the hydro field every day - he's right at home. Here is the hydro field creek - trickles along whenever there is enough water. (at right) What a busy household here in Etobicoke. Mom and Dad and the children - all busy with school, work and play. When the kids get upset I find it hard not to interfere. I want to comfort them. But I have been in the parents' shoes too, you lose it sometimes: parenting is a learn for everyone. ***** Fig is not well, poor thing. He has cataracts in his eyes! I thought his retinas were detached but the vet couldn't see past the cataracts. He also has d

 Mar. 20    Fig.(Who else?) I walked to the west ridge stream this morning with Fig. We were able to walk on top of the snow; it was frozen enough to hold us. As soon as we reached the brook Fig was down the snowbank and into it drinking his fill of the pure mountain water. The "plinth" turns out to be hollow! Water was running down into the ground inside it with a loud gurgling. I had Fig on leash for safety but dropped it after we'd climbed back to the meadow while I stood and looked across the valley. After a few moments, I said, "Let's go!", but Fig turned back to the stream, climbed down again, waded in and had another drink! It was lovely to see him excited about something, and unafraid of exploring. Today is the last day of below freezing temperatures for the next week. It is 5 above now. Monday it will be 14, Tuesday and Wednesday will hit 15. We won't be here to see the big thaw! I am disappointed, but we have to go to Toronto for a few days on

 Mar. 17 This morning it was thawing once again. Although it was still only minus five the sun was hot and the snow was sliding off the roof in a big curl. Just after I took this picture the snow wave came crashing down.         Fig went out for a lengthy explore and now he is dozing in the sun: ***** It has been a busy few days. Thursday afternoon (the 11th), as the temperature climbed to 14 above, I snowshoed across to the tree-line to see the stream. Everywhere the snow was disappearing. I wanted to see the stream while it was only beginning to awaken. This is looking east to Owl's Head, from the tree-line stream. I crossed the stream over the bridge, sort of a land bridge; the stream runs through a culvert or a natural channel formed with rocks and boulders. There is a plinth in the middle of the stream. I like to think it once supported a statue guardian of the stream or the woods, a minor water god. Here is a tree for Indre to climb. It will take her across the stream. Here i