Assabet's Promised Water

 

Being locked in winter's grip of late, my boat and paddle sit high and dry gathering dust.  Still wanting to get outside, and given our generous snow cover, I thought of my snowshoes and reached into my gear closet's back corner (where this 'winter-hater' generally prefers they stay). I also found my gaiters and trekking poles and thus equipped headed out into the woods near my home.  The simple satisfaction of being the first to break a trail through the snow-covered ground was mine to be had.  This newly broken trail brought me alongside one of the Assabet River's tributaries, Fort Pond Brook (above photo), and standing there in the silence of the woods I pondered how the water cycle was in a prolonged pause of sorts.  A good portion of the very snow I stood in will ultimately melt, enter this brook, and flow the few miles to the Assabet River.  There with a little luck and some good timing I'll enjoy dipping my paddle blades into the very same molecules of water.

Then silence was broken with the raucous sounds of a male pileated woodpecker...

...who for the next 20 minutes made his presence known.

Conversely, a red-bellied woodpecker quietly went about its business...

Saw lots of tracks in the snow...mostly deer...

...and rabbits and maybe a fox.  However, this guy seemed a little out of place...

Perhaps his being out and about says more about the arrival of spring than whatever mister groundhog had to say.

Either way it's good to know that meteorological spring is only 13 days from now...and at worse only 33 days until the 'traditional spring' our calendars speak of.

Recently (Feb. 9th) I read a tragic story in the Boston Globe written by David Abel.  It concerned a member of the litter-picker upper community, Jack Coughlin, who lives in the Connecticut River town of Agawam, MA and who has worked for many decades in cleaning up our environment.  He has also advocated for expanding the Massachusetts 'Bottle Bill' to include placing a deposit on carbonated beverage containers and those nasty little 'nip bottles' (a noble cause if ever there was one).  Unfortunately, tragedy recently befell Mr. Coughlin when he was struck by a car and seriously injured.  His family has a GoFundMe page for those who wish to help provide for his care.  It can be found at this link or by simply Googling his name and town.   Many are hoping for his recovery.