April came to us cold and hard. In the beginning, she added her snow to the receding March snow and then brought frigid, driving rain that turned uncomfortable days into miserable ones. Early April light flickered on and off, already-full wood streams became torrents.
But, April eased up as she aged. She bestowed some beautiful days on us, often with high winds that stampeded the waters.
Nothing April did discouraged the Wild Turkeys from their annual spring rituals, however. The Toms defied the laws of physics, doubling their size with the flexing of muscles, and strutted about in competitions for the attention of the Hens; the Hens pretended to ignore the Toms for most of the month. But the Toms know it's a waiting game.
The young (Elver) American Eels also appeared on time and the nets at the mouths of streams were waiting to catch a fraction of these prized animals so that they could be air-shipped to Asia.
On the waterfront, April rain during low tide is a good time to scrub and prime boats that have been in the water all year, such as the 40-foot Pilot Cutter Flekkerøy, a visitor from Norway.
The month also was a good time to launch Sonny, the new 91-foot Cruising Sloop from the Brooklin Boat Yard.
And, in our Atlantic Boat Yard, Dear Abbie:, one of our favorite local fishing vessels, underwent major surgery all April after a heartbreaking accident. She’s in loving hands and is expected to be on the water again in May or June.
April, of course, is the month that new growth appears seemingly out of nowhere, including delicate Sumac leaves, graceful Skunk Cabbage Spathes, and new field grasses for the White-Tailed Deer.
Easter falls in April and neighbor Judith Fuller’s road banners gave us three ways to recognize it:
For larger versions of the above images, as well as many additional images of special moments during this April, click on the link below. (We recommend that your initial viewing be in full-screen mode, which can be achieved by clicking on the Slideshow [>] icon above the featured image in the gallery to which the link will take you.) Here’s the link for more:
https://leightons.smugmug.com/US-States/Maine/Out/2018-in-Maine/April/