One Step Backwards

Yesterday weather conditions drew us out of doors and this garden area was cleaned up.  Overnight new snow fell and now the sky is filled with low threatening clouds.  Winds are from the south.  NOAA predicts that this new snow will be gone today.  We shall see.
 

Wild turkey tracks are everywhere.  Initially, I saw these footprints as the steps for the turkey trot.  Later we saw the bird feeding on clear ground at the base of the shade garden wall.  Our first concern focused on the fact that the bird was alone.  We usually see wild turkeys in large groups.  What happened to the rest of the group is an obvious question.  An opportunity to watch this bird for a long time as it fed revealed just how thin it is.  When it moved it seemed to stagger.  My displeasure with this winter seem really weak when compared with its impact on the wild life.

These prints were made before the storm ended.  Fresh snow partially fills the tracks making identification shaky.  Two large footprints side by side point to rabbit.  If its pace was slow, then the front feet could have found ground one after the other some distance apart.

We recently saw our first road kill of the season.  Skunk scent fills the air now so we know that they are out and about.  I find it terribly sad that an animal manages to survive a harsh winter only to be ended by a car during its first walk about.

These early lettuce plants were started with no plans that they would ever be planted out.  They should see some time outside on the wall when weather permits.  Some of these leaves are large enough to take now.  The primary reason for planting them early was that we had to see something green.  Oh my, they surely look good.

The covered tray on the heating pad contains tomato seeds freshly planted.  Here again we are early but there is a workable plan.  Twelve of these tomato plants will be reset in one gallon pots.  Days outside on the wall will be followed with nights in the basement.  If cold weather threatens, days will find them in the basement.  This early start is intended to get us ripe tomatoes ahead of the late blight.  Additionally, soil was found under my fingernails yesterday.  My potting soil smelled great in spite of spending a long winter in a plastic garbage can.