Mud season — with a touch of snow

River Road in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

It's one of the ironies of living in New England: With spring barely a month old, there's still a chance winter may come back, just a little. And it looks like Friday may be that kind of day in Vermont.

Nature's latest weather show opened with rain on Thursday evening. But parts of southern Vermont, including the Woodstock area, are expected to see 6 to 12 inches of snow over the course of the day Friday. A winter storm warning is in effect until 8 p.m. Friday evening for Windsor County, and the eastern portions of Rutland and Addison Counties.

During any storm warning, caution is always best. The National Weather Service is warning about hazardous travel conditions on Friday, especially on roads in higher elevations — which would include that Killington overpass along Route 4. Even if weather in the lower valleys is minimal, it can be a very different scene in areas like Killington.

Speaking of changing conditions, it's always a slight risk to write about specific weather events — because they can disappear from the forecast in the blink of an eye. With temps above freezing, Friday's weather could result in little more than slush. But however it pans out, the warm season will march confidently onward, with this storm being a blip on the radar in the grand scheme of spring.

To that end: Any snow is expected to taper off by Friday evening, followed by a quick jump back to 50-degree weather on Saturday and some 60s next week. True, vestiges of winter may try to creep in, but spring wastes no time in getting back to business. And all who've been enjoying the warmer weather are glad to know it.

— Gareth Henderson

Hungry bears: Looking for that next meal, wherever it may be

With snow melting everywhere, bears are starting to emerge from their winter dens. When the snow is all gone, the bird feeders should go, too, wildlife officials say. (VTF&W Photo by Kris and Norm Senna)

Bears have long memories, and they may return to some old haunts (backyards) from 2020 if they can still get a bite to eat there.

That's even more likely now, as the bears' usual food sources in the woods are quite thin these days, turning these ursine wanderers toward bird seed, compost and trash.

That's why Vermont wildlife officials are spreading the word: Take down your bird feeders, and secure your outdoor trash areas. Bears are very smart, and they remember where that trash and compost were placed last year.

State wildlife biologist Forrest Hammond said it's best to remove bird feeders whenever the snow is gone, which usually comes ahead of April 1 these days.

"The message is, if the snow's disappeared from your lawn, then you probably should take down your bird feeder, because chances are, there's gonna be a bear checking things out," he said.

The bear sightings are starting to roll in for 2021. On Monday, Hammond got a call from a neighborhood in Quechee, where a bear has been enjoying bird feeders for the past week. A common question is whether taking down the feeder at night helps. But the bear can simply adjust his schedule to the daytime, and there's usually some seed spilled on the ground anyway.

"It really doesn't do any good," Hammond said.

Last year, Vermont bears discovered many new places for food during the height of the pandemic, when everyone was at home, and houses usually empty for part of the year were not. Hammond is hopeful that warmer weather will be consistent, and lush vegetation will flourish as a result, giving bears fewer reasons to drop by houses and yards.

“That'll help, because that's the mainstay for bears, the vegetation," he said.

As a rule, the entire month of April is "pretty bleak" for bear food in the woods, Hammond said. They'll go to beaver ponds to find some spouts by the water, or even climb some trees — like Aspens — which get their buds early. That's why you sometimes see scratch marks on Aspen trees early in the years, and racoons and squirrels do the same.

However, climbing is often a last resort.

"It takes a lot of energy for a bear that might weigh 150 pounds to climb up just to get a few buds," Hammond said.

As spring goes on, if you see a bear in your backyard, Hammond recommends making some noise, like yelling at the animal, to encourage it to back off. That may not only keep the bear from your yard, but also your neighbors' yards. Just as bears remember where they want to eat, they also remember negative experiences. The more a bear gets used to an uninterrupted food source, the harder it is to discourage them from it, Hammond said.

"Then they'll kind of adopt a neighborhood or a set of neighborhoods," he said.

Still, Hammond noted that last year, more Vermonters learned the importance of securing their trash areas and removing bird feeders. He encouraged people to keep educating their neighbors about taking those important steps.

"I've got high hopes that people in Vermont are learning how to live better with bears," Hammond said.

— Gareth Henderson

To report a bear sighting in Vermont, fill out this online form.

Awakening to spring

It’s mud season, as evidenced on Hartland Hill Road in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

The brightness of an earth renewed illuminated the landscape to mark the first day of spring 2021 on Saturday. As the ground softens and new life takes root, the world is awakening and stretching its dormant roots.

The abundant plant life anticipates the changes, seeking the light of spring. People also embrace that light, welcoming the promise of springtime with its renewal, hope and vibrancy. The air on Saturday was full of that promise, and during our first family bike ride of the year, we could just feel that peace, the calming approach of that familiar season. Riding down the road, the sun fell on newly exposed muddy ground, brooks near the road bubbled, and birds greeted the open air with song. I loved the sense of family we experienced as we continued our ride. Just as the trees are rooted, the togetherness we felt also had a firm foundation we took with us as we enjoyed the afternoon.

In Woodstock Village, people walked the streets, some also biked, and customers filled the socially-distanced patio seating at Mon Vert Cafe, joyfully taking in the first day of spring. Nearby at Woodstock Sports, the crowds were coming through as well. The sunnier days have certainly brought more customers, especially to the bike shop, Woodstock Sports co-owner Peter Johnston said.

"We get calls pretty much every day," he said regarding the bikes. The store has seen a fair amount of business lately from families who have moved to the area within the past year, and are looking to tune-up their bikes, or get new sneakers or other outdoor wear.

"Hiking is going to be very strong this year," Johnston noted. "Everybody wants to get outside."

Like other warmer days, Saturday seemed to bring even more of that business, with its high approaching 60 degrees.

"It's a beautiful first day of spring, you can't ask for more than that," Johnston said.

The good news is, that pattern is set to continue into the week, per local forecasts. Saturday is the first in a string of four sunny days coming up, each with temps in the low- to mid-60s.

With that, as the winter weather gradually fades, we look forward to more signs of spring. The ever-warming air fills us with the joyful feeling that a new season is on its way. This year, that feeling carries something extra with it, the hope of a very different year from the past 12 months. The harmonious beauty and vibrancy of spring encourage us to continue toward that goal, at this annual time of renewal. As we look forward to the full effect of spring, let's embrace hope for one another and nurture that precious sense of community we so cherish. That provides a firm foundation for progress, and a source of strength that never runs out.

— Gareth Henderson

Cherishing hope for all seasons

Lights along an Elm Street sidewalk in Woodstock Village. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

It wasn't long ago that varying temperatures and the crunch of leaves under our feet were common features of the outdoor experience. But now, we're firmly in the chilly grasp of winter, and — if the forecasters have it right — we'll soon feel even more snow crunching underfoot.

The full arrival of wintertime is one more reminder that, regardless of changing human circumstances, the natural world rolls on. There is some comfort in the constancy of nature — it has ushered in the seasons we're already familiar with, during a year full of things unfamiliar. The experience that sticks in my mind the most was the shift from winter into spring, and what a huge sense of hope, comfort and renewal it inspired. The world was coming alive, showing its brilliant light and resilience, and posing a stern, visual challenge to the dark shadows of adversity.

Today, we're faced with a winter of now-familiar obstacles, including the pandemic, political tensions, and the struggling economy. But even as these loom large, we don't have to forsake the feelings of hope the spring inspired. We can remember all that’s been renewed and richly expressed, time and again, which is our love of and dedication to our neighbors and communities, and our collective strength in the face of many hurdles.

Those virtues remain at the heart of our existence, because they are foundational to us. They persist because we are still here, with each other, and for each other. No matter how steep a mountain we have to climb, we can still genuinely seek ways to work together for good and witness progress. That's a foundation made from hope, and one we can still build on.

— Gareth Henderson