3/12/08

3/12/08: Wednesday, 8:30 AM. 22 degrees, barometer predicts partly cloudy skies. Wind ENE, calm. Skies high overcast at present. It was a red-rosy dawn.
There were subtle signs of spring along Hwy 2 yesterday; a few deer out “grazing” on south-facing hillsides, although I could see nothing green as yet. There was evidence of skunks becoming active. The aspen trees, Populus tremuloides, are beginning to have a hint of green haze about them, an aura if you will, when viewed from a distance. Not leafing out, just branches and buds becoming faintly green. The paper birch, Betula papyrifera, young branches are distinctly reddish, distinguishing them readily from the aspen. Willow tree branches are becoming yellow. Most interesting to me are the willows shrubs, in the low places, which have a brilliant red-orange coloration now. I think what I saw was Bebb willow, Salix bebbiana, but I am not sure. Anyway, they are absolutely stunning in the early spring landscape.
When the lake is viewed from the Duluth bluffs now it is all blue water from the still-frozen harbor as far as the eye can see to the east. The Coast Guard ice breaker was at work in the harbor and shipping season will soon begin.
A very pretty sight indeed was a huge ore boat in the shipyards, its newly painted hull fire-engine red, and its pilot house and such olive green with white accents. I didn’t catch the name, but it’s home port is Wilmington. Someone in the shipping industry has real pride in what they do and it is good to see.
The buds of the red maple on Manypenny Ave. are heavily swollen now.