Everyone's ready for Spring!

With temperatures rising near 50 degrees F today, the forest and farm were busy with all kinds of creatures out and about. This lone turkey vulture was quite a sight. He was taking advantage of his wide wingspread and sunlight angle to absorb as much warmth possible. It was an intimidating sight to see such a large bird with wings outspread just standing there! Almost like he was daring me to come closer.

Snowflakes and such

We're suffering together this wet winter weather. But it can be beautiful as well as an inconvenience! When water molecules freeze, hexagons form. Their molecular bonds form the six-sided snowflakes. Snowflakes are among nature’s loveliest things. These flakes are unique, no two alike. In air that’s more humid, or drier, different shapes grow: needles, columns, and plates form and can be alike, not so unique. Other forms of precipitation: Sleet’s just a raindrop that froze on its way down. Wet rain that falls at supercooled temperatures and then freezes on surfaces is freezing rain. And of course, plain old rain also fell on Wednesday morning. Rain is melted snowflakes!