Signs o’ Spring?

First fish of the season caught by our son. It’s actually a land locked salmon.

I usually look for signs of spring around tax day. Why you ask? To make myself feel a little better I suppose. I’m self employed so I always pay in. I never get a pay out.

Sometimes signs of spring are hard to spot, especially after a snow. Whoever coined the expression “April Showers bring May flowers, so they say …” has never been to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

We do not see crocuses or daffodils, and we do not dare to look for budded trees (after all, people are still skiing at Jay Peak nearby) but I will share my top ten personal signs of spring.

Our pasture — the tree looks dead but it’s not.

This is not a lady bug. It’s a stink bug.

1. Stink bugs who have been hiding in our woodwork all winter come out.
2. Trees have not budded but all the snow is gone.
3. Pastures are brown but you think you may see green grass pushing through.
4. Irregular sightings: packs of cars with snow boards strapped to their roofs heading south.
5. Maple Syrup is done for the season, and we who love grade “B” are in heaven as tourist shun this for “Grade A Fancy” which tastes like water.
6. The brooks and rivers are swollen with snow melt off, sometimes overflowing the banks.
7. Fishing starts the second Saturday of April, which requires a permit so it’s mostly locals.
8. All the ice has melted from Lake Willoughby shores.
9. A few fishing shacks have washed up on the beach.
10. It is okay to walk barefoot in your house without the threat of frostbite.