Frosty field

 The world was a blueish white this morning.  For the last four nights the temps have gotten well below freezing but last night was maybe the hardest frost.  Pretty but my heart sank a little thinking how this might set back spring.  So I planned the walk this morning to check on the signs of spring.  No ice on the gorge - between it's size and being fed by springs, it's water is too warm for ice.  No frogs singing anywhere but it was a bit too cold for them at the moment.  They'll come back out again.   The birds were unperturbed.  They were talking and fighting over nesting places.   I checked various trees.  Those that had started putting on leaves showed no ill effects.  The soft maples that had blossoms had already begun to drop them before this latest cold snap so I think they are OK too.  The ramp in the forest were still as green and the cowslips in the swamp were opening.  The only problem I found was with all of those daylilies I had planted over the years on the septic mound.  Their leaves were about three inches high and the tips of some were brown and a little curled.    Notice it was all of the native things that made it through just fine - only my non-native daylilies had any issues.    I'm not concerned about them though.  Daylilies are way too resilient to be beaten by a little frost.