For the month of April, I noticed great change in the Alpine road pond. The day I observed was April 9th, a cool and overcast day with temperatures in the low 80’s. At this point the grass had grown tall, high enough to reach my waist and in some areas above my head. Everything was green and I did not notice a single trees without foliage. I saw bees and the occasional butterfly hovering around flowers. Indian paintbrushes were a particularly new flower I spied. While these insects took advantage of the new flowers, birds seemed to be taking advantage of these same insects. I encountered the familiar family of ducks that had set up a home in the pond. The pond as a whole seemed vibrant with bright colors, despite it being an overcast day. Finally, I noticed that a small stream, which connects the pond to a nearby creak lay empty. This stream had held water previously for each and every month I have come to observe to pond. I assume that the surrounding grasses, which have now grown so high, have drained the stream.
Relative to the preceding months, April by far showed the most noticeable changes. With the rapid growth of plant life, came an increased busyness of insects and other consumers. April was marked with growth, while January and February could be described more as a sleepy withdraw from winter. Up until march, the pond seemed dry and grey in comparison to April. Cat tails once tanned and dehydrated, stand tall with a healthy greenness to them. While today was not in the 90’s like it had been, I could sense summer approaching. Noting the dried stream, the grasses consumed water in a hurried desperation, as if planning for the oppressive dry heat of summer.
“He who searches for spring with his knees in the mud finds it, in abundance.”
