[vermont] Officially over winter

I've been pretty chill this winter- enjoying it and not complaining about the horrible sustained frigid temperatures. But after yesterday, I want the snow to go. It was over 60 degrees yesterday! And sunny! And over 60 degrees! It's so nice to just sit outside again. Even when it still looks like this in the front yard:

And like this in the back yard:

I wanted to get some last pictures of the snow before it's all gone. It's going to be pretty warm this week and I hope it all melts.

I started poking around the gardens, to see what's reappearing. The sempervivium in the rock garden are showing through the remaining ice:

And crocuses are starting to poke up on the lawn:

I was so pleased to see many new shoots appearing. Last spring they were eaten by one of the woodchucks so they never bloomed. As soon as I saw these, I went around spraying them with stinky deer/rabbit repellent. Who knows if it will work on the woodchuck I've seen this year. I've scared him off a couple times already but he's already eaten some of my young lavender shrubs.

Finally, a swarm of Canadian Geese flew due north over the house:

I'm finally ready to call winter over-with.