Timing Spring's Arrival.

The last of the ice on our 'Small Pond' went out yesterday. In this picture - taken a few mornings ago - we received a dusting of snow overnight so the ice was easy-to-see. Our 'Big Pond ' had lost its ice five days earlier.

Ice has gone out from the ponds in late April for each of the last five years. In the eight years prior to that span, the ice would not go out until May. 2019 was the latest year with ice-out from the Small Pond on May 11.

Less mercurial is the appearance of the first Poplar leaves. Last year it was 5/8. 2024 was 5/4; 2023 was 5/5. 2020 holds the late record for first Poplar leaves at 5/13. The lateness of that Covid-year-2020 might be explained away by the spat of late season snowfalls we had in Northern Maine: 14" of snow on April 10, 8" on April 22 and 10" on May 9. That kinda snow would cool anyone's jets.

Caleb, Peter, Megan & Jim