This cold dry spring continued this week, with temperatures hovering around freezing, and about 1.5mm of precipitation, some of that in the form of a sudden snow squall that blew up Saturday evening.  Despite the cold temperatures, the strong winds have cleared the ice from Lower Black Sturgeon Lake.  The lake rose another inch over this past week, and is at a high normal for this time of year, and the rate of rising has slowed with the completion of the snow and ice thaw. There is little new growth or greening up; my seeded septic field hasn’t sprouted and will need supplemental watering. Creeks and ditches are no longer flowing. Although the water basins are relatively high, the ground and underbrush are pretty dry. Rain is needed to give the thawing ground a good soak.