Spring, are we there yet?

Spring.....  The dogs are muddy, the first mosquitoes have been sighted, dog trucks are shedding their crates for the summer, and the day is 18 hours 36 minutes long (visible light is actually 22 h 42 min).  Tomorrow will be 6 min 59 seconds longer.  The temperature has been in the low to mid- 50's in the daytime and around 30 F at night.  Ann has gone off to count salmon in the Western Cook Inlet and I am preparing for a backpacking trip (somewhere) in the Brooks Range this summer.

 
Spring is more visible in town than in the Goldstream Valley.  Here you can see the Chena River sans ice.  I would remind you that the bridge in the photo held many spectators at the finish of the Yukon Quest.  It all looks quite different, doesn't it?  By the way, I did not win the Nenana Ice Classic, but breakup has caused no end of flooding due to ice jams in various locations -- especially on the Yukon River.  The town of Eagle has been devastated.

The swans are still resident in Goldstream Creek

... as are the ducks (Northern Shovelers)

This is the last patch of snow on the side of the cabin.  The photo was taken on May 11th but it is still there today -- just a bit smaller.

...  on the way to the outhouse at 3:42 am May 12. 

Birch trees have just now begun to to produce pale green foliage

... and the spruce are decked-out in a distinctive bright green.

That is pretty much it in terms of evidence of spring.

Subtle and understated, this is about as dramatic as it gets.

The moose are still around.

This one was just wandering off Ballaine Road in the valley today.  I am glad it was going away from, rather than towards, the road.  They are surprisingly difficult to see. 

A lot of fairly bizarre stuff gets uncovered when the snow melts.  This emerged near the outhouse.  Any idea what it is?

Next stop, summer!