Though the weather hasn't been especially warm, there's been a lot of melting since Saturday's big storm. Already bare ground is visible on the south side of the house, and I can glimpse tulip and hyacinth leaves forking upward amid the leaf mulch.

I'm not full of exciting chatter today. Yesterday was just what I expected it to be: work and groceries, neither of which was scintillating. But the wind blew hard all day, thumping against the little house and roaring in the maples. Gulls fought for air space; a strange cat prowled through the yard; a pair of red squirrels chased each other across the back fence.

Today will be another big work day, but I will get out for a walk in the afternoon. Everyone else is seeing exciting raptor stuff, but not me, and I want some hawk sightings.

Meanwhile, the furnace grumbles and the laundry sloshes and I sigh over a cup of coffee. I am itching to plant something, and maybe I'll be able to clean the snow off the cold frame and get arugula seeds into the ground by this weekend. My skier friends are all Yay yay more snow, and I am, like, hey, spring, hurry up and give me crocuses and garlic greens. March is a disputative month.

I have a brand-new pea trellis to install. I have new sturdy row covers to foil the groundhog and the insects. I have a fresh batch of seeds, and I am eager to get this garden party started.