One of the most common weather proverbs heard at this time of year is "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb."  Today is the first Monday of March here on the mesa, and the lion is still lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce with a grab bag of conditions including rain, hail, snow, graupel, and especially wind.  To a person, wind seems to be the least-liked element in the spring bag.  But wind melts snow and ice, and allows mud to dry, resulting in an easier walking surface. It churns the water in lakes, enabling nutrients to come alive for fish and other creatures.  And it creates holes in the ice, through which the flowers of spring will eventually emerge.  Exploring the remaining snow and mud with camera in hand, I found these two - green and waiting - for the right time to produce further growth.  They are rather bland now, not particularly pretty or flashy, but lurking, like the lion, just beneath the ice.

still life - growth beneath the ice 2   

still life - growth beneath the ice 1

The wind and accompanying relative warmth completely cleared the stock tank of ice, which, up until this week, was four inches thick.  Now, the water moves with the breeze, reflecting the sky.

still life - reflection on stock tank water

The winds aloft have been howling this week, as reflected in an entire collection of weird and amazing cloud formations.

skyscapes - March cloud dance

skyscapes - March cloud dance 2

Happy Birthday to Susie S., Jan, Brenda, Andrea, Debra, Jean, Sam G., Sam W., Sara, and Carol, who were born in March, and Happy Anniversary to Steve and Peggy, Debbie and Rock.  

until next Monday,

DB

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