March marks the start of northern hemisphere meteorological spring and there are signs of life in the Suburbs of Despair. Been hearing a lot more birdsong and today I saw the annual mallard pair making a rest stop* in the vernal pool behind the house. They're a bit early but it's been a warm wet winter with no snow cover for weeks.

Did an "early spring" veg garden limestone application last week and have started seed and infrastructure shopping. Noticed that one of my zombie crocuses** had bloomed so I removed the dead leaf cover from rest of the plot to reveal sprouts on the bulbs I planted last fall. Don't quite remember what they were but I have notes... somewhere (my desk remains disrupted pending window installation... someday). Besides, the plants will remind me soon enough.

It's nice that it's no longer dark at 17:30 local and I've been able to get out more. (I don't enjoy night driving in these parts as it feels like massholery levels have only increased in these precedented times.) Friday was sunny if rather breezy and after morning voting and errands there was still time for an afternoon walk on the Coolidge Reservation's Ocean Lawn. Saw a surprising number of upaired female ducks (three different species) on the salt marsh pond; I guess it was singles' day.

Warmed up afterwards with fried seafood in Essex; off-season Fridays have a clam boat special. That area's seasonal ice cream stands aren't open yet but Mad Maggie's restarted in February so I'm not totally bereft. Downriver is counting down to April; with the help of last year's Moxie's haul I can be brave until then (insert trophy emoji here, preferably not fins first).

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* Even at its spring-swollen largest the pool is a bit small to support a mallard family and so far any visiting ducks have stayed only a few days. Just as well, I'm looking forward to wood frogs in a few weeks and prefer they not end up as duck food.

** Haven't planted crocuses for years and tend to forget they're there until a few stubbornly bloom each spring.