January 1
The first day of the new year.
The first day of the new year.
January 7
Winter closing in.
Winter closing in.
January 12
Blue on blue with a full moon rising. Frozen in.
Blue on blue with a full moon rising. Frozen in.
The pond is entirely frozen now and we have had very little in the way of waterfowl visiting. There was a Cooper's Hawk and a Bald Eagle one day. The graceful Great Blue Heron still floats over the pond in his daily patrol, and nightly as well with his familiar croak in the dark. The night's silence is broken only by the sound of ice creaking and the calls of two Great Horned Owls in the woods. Hopefully they all secure some sustenance in this hard month.
And in this hard month we too have had to accept hardship, knowing that it is too late for the summer's fry to leave this home pond for their open sea life. Maybe some will survive. We are still saddened and yes angry, and rightfully, for the Town's neglect with no accountability whatsoever. All of our neighbors here have suffered the same disappointment over these weeks since December 12th (see Journal, December 2024) when all of our hopes were raised high- that the fish would finally be a able to emigrate out thanks to the wonderful work of the Mosquito Control crew- only to see our hopes dashed on the 16th with the sandbag blockade. Neighbors old and new, like these- a new neighbor, who just purchased a home on our street this fall, told me a selling point of the house was the herring run in their backyard. She and her husband are excited to return in March to see them first hand. Just as the generations of neighbors do here, parents with their children and grandchildren cheering them on into Slough Pond.
The alewives are strong and spirited with an enormous will to survive that we witness the miracle of every spring. And the spirit of this pond is strong. We hope to match their measure.
And in this hard month we too have had to accept hardship, knowing that it is too late for the summer's fry to leave this home pond for their open sea life. Maybe some will survive. We are still saddened and yes angry, and rightfully, for the Town's neglect with no accountability whatsoever. All of our neighbors here have suffered the same disappointment over these weeks since December 12th (see Journal, December 2024) when all of our hopes were raised high- that the fish would finally be a able to emigrate out thanks to the wonderful work of the Mosquito Control crew- only to see our hopes dashed on the 16th with the sandbag blockade. Neighbors old and new, like these- a new neighbor, who just purchased a home on our street this fall, told me a selling point of the house was the herring run in their backyard. She and her husband are excited to return in March to see them first hand. Just as the generations of neighbors do here, parents with their children and grandchildren cheering them on into Slough Pond.
The alewives are strong and spirited with an enormous will to survive that we witness the miracle of every spring. And the spirit of this pond is strong. We hope to match their measure.
