After a long and very cold winter the small yellow flowers of Coltsfoot are a welcome sign. Look for them in sunny spots along roadsides. The flower appears first while leaves will emerge later. The leaves resemble a colts foot, where the common name comes from. The Latin name Tussilago farfara comes from the word tussis, meaning cough, or to act on. The plant in native medicine was used to treat coughs and respiratory ailments. Posted March 24, 2015.
On March 23, 2015 we heard the brief call of several wood frogs signaling their reawakening from a long winter nap. Wood frogs don't just nap but enter into a form of suspended animation where their system completely shuts down, even their hearts stop beating. As the temperatures warm they slowly awaken and begin their journey to nearby vernal pools and ponds to breed. Listen for the familiar 'cluck, cluck' sound of their calls. The great photo of wood frog photo, shown here, is by Brian Gratwicke, made available under the Creative Commons License.
A more recent photo of the Bairdstown Bridge shows the second bridge that was constructed here after the covered bridge of the 1800s was no longer in use. As of March 18, 2015 the flood waters of the Conemaugh river were at the level of the bridge deck. Recent snowmelt and waters being backed up by the Conemaugh Dam caused the waters to rise.
