Walking the East Chop woods the other morning, we enjoyed the variety of small animal tracks in the remains of our recent snow. Each print was as sharply delineated, and yet as evanescent, as this season of winter in which only a month now remains before the equinox.

Horses on Island farms have shed their winter coats, sheep are getting sheared, and baby lambs are showing a spring in their step that gives the lie to winter.