A total of 1.22 inches of rain for the week keeps us well above normal for the month and near normal for the year and water year. Warm temperatures early in the week continued to melt the snowpack and only a few patches remain where the snow had drifted in northern shadows. There are larger patches of old snowpack along Bassett Brook and at higher elevations on Mt Greylock. The rest of the ice melted on my pond and the warm rain on Thursday night brought the first Wood Frogs and a healthy population of Spotted Salamanders in to deposit eggs. Colder weather for the end of the week refroze the pond and the frogs and salamanders are tucked away awaiting the return of warm weather. Tree swallows have returned and are competing with bluebirds for my birdhouses. The crocuses are still flowering, but the daffodils and rhubarb haven’t grown much. I spotted some wild leeks sprouting in the woods. A porcupine wandered by checking out my raspberry canes which have not sprouted leaves yet. Warm mornings are a melody of birdsong, but cold mornings are still silent. Maple sugaring season is winding down. I harvested around 5.5 gallons of syrup with my hobby operation, about average for me. Lower elevation trails on MT Greylock are snow and ice free.