After a while the snow looses its thrill, and starts to look all the same: white. But I would be remiss not to mention the biggest fall we've had in years, some eighteen inches. I'd suggested that an El Nino season might keep us warm, if wet, but this Winter has brought plenty of precipitation and frigid temperatures. Turns out there are a lot of variable factors, as detailed in this report. Doesn't sound like we can hope for any quick relief.






As we enter the final third of Winter, the longing for Spring officially begins. Hard to believe the Black-crowned Night Heron above is scheduled to return to the Lake in less than a month.




Actually, the snow does vary. The latest dumping was nowhere near as spectacular as our Christmas storm, despite depositing three times as much snow. This time around it was small, wind-driven crystals, instead of big, wet flakes, with the result that that the snow didn't stick to the trees, as it did in December (below), though it certainly did sting any exposed flesh.







The wind-blown snow piled in drifts up to my knees, but left bare ground around the boles where parted by the trees. I don't consider this glimpse of grass a sign of Spring, but let's keep looking…