Winter eventually gives way to spring. The snow thaws, signaling the start of what is fondly referred to in Maine as mud season. The salt marsh at Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area is a tangle of flattened grass. There is not a burst of growth—the plants don’t seem to trust the threat of snow and frosts have gone, and they are right not to. But the air is scented with the season’s potential. Click on the image for a larger view.
Tag Archives: Spring in Maine
Whisper of the Pines
We have a beautiful Eastern White Pine just behind our house. The constancy of the evergreens through the winter gives a softness to that season, like a whisper saying that spring will return and the land will be green again. It is hardly surprising the pine is used to symbolize time and eternity in many cultures. Click on the image for a larger view.
Changing Seasons, Part 1
Spring just does not simply arrive in Maine; snow and ice don’t simply vanish. Spring comes like a gentle kiss on the land, slowly melting away winter.
This pond in the salt marshes of Bates Morse Mountain Conservation Area is just opening up. In a month or two, fish fry will populate the water. This pool is isolated from the rivers and streams that cut through the marsh, yet the fish population is stable. Amazingly, the salinity of the water is higher than the ocean that feeds the marsh.
Storm Surge at Pemaquid Point
In March 2013, a storm surge was reaching land at Pemaquid Point in Maine. The storm was well out to sea. The skies were clear and periodic swells rushed into the cove just below the lighthouse. Click on the image for a larger view.
