Recession in progress
Winter receding
There may, or may not be, a genuine thaw in the offing, but after the warmer weather and rain of recent days, the modest covering of snow that had been hiding the ground has started to recede in places. The result is a natural patchwork quilt of white intermixed with various shades of brown and green. The Hair Cap and other moss species are now visible, and in many places near them, the ground is covered with a native wildflower known as Pussy-toes. Antennaria species have gray-green, tough, and fuzzy feet, just like some felines I've owned, or, better, have been owned by. Of course, it's way too early to look for signs of the start of the growing season; these hardy plants are more a sign of a growing season that never really ends.