signs of life

on the twenty-second of december the low temperature in my yard was -13 ( fahernhait ) and the high temperature the next day was 0...six days later the high was 57 degrees ( faherenheit again )...the temperatures have not fallen much below freezing at night and highs have been above freezing since...

precipitation has fallen as rain...and there is quite a bit of green out back so today i wandered out there to see what, if anything, was up...

much of the lightening struck elm is dead ( although it will put out green branches in the spring...the roots will not give up )...however...

seems woodpeckers are excavating it for insects...

and it is alive with lichen-tinged landscapes and bark...

native berries are evincing new growth...

while the cold hardy new york imports are putting out stolons and setting daughter plants in the east bed...

even the hollow in this old stump...

is harboring nrew growth...i have to wonder what february will be briningin in the way of weather...

these are coming up out front...i know what they are and they are certainly cold hardy...still, it is just a bit early and i am uncertain of outcomes...one can hope for insulating snow...we will see.