March, like a lamb or lion?

March has arrived like a lamb so far, with days well above freezing and nights below to refreeze all that had melted during the day time hours.

So far it has been a gentle time of transition, a period of slow melt and clear days. The Iditarod has been in full swing and is a sure sign that warmer days maybe in store for us.

At my home, the birds I call the “morning crew” (or the wrecking crew, depending on the size of the invading mob of redpolls) are becoming less of a voracious mess. My birdseed can last more than just three hours or so, except when the wrecking crew does it’s thing. It boggles my mind just how fast those little fluff balls can go through food.

The little group of feral rabbits living here are doing what rabbits do in my bushes, which means I’m going to be a reluctant rabbit herder — again. They can be entertaining as they hop around chasing each other under the ground cover and even under our cars.

Along with the antics of our other residents, like the red squirrels and the Steller’s jay we named Butch, we are most definitely entertained.

The moose are more frequent now. They gobble up the birdseed on the ground like vacuum cleaners. Not that they need it. This year’s crop of moose appear to be very healthy, unlike last year’s brood that was half-starved. And my cat Spanky seems to be over his fear of them, too — although he is not in love with the large brutes like his companion Rascal, a cat who thinks size is not a barrier. She is in for a surprise I think.

March is a time of calm or storm, depending all on the weather it brings. Hence the old saying “in like a lamb and out like a lion.” Or vice versa. It could mean this year will have an early breakup at the rate it is going right now. But knowing all to well Alaska’s penchant for throwing all rules out the door weather wise, the lion is sure to rear its head in a big way. The days of wild weather maybe upon us very soon.

When it does, the lion may bring company, and then we are all in for it. Windstorms packing gale-force winds tearing through the Valley tear up trees and power poles with a singular vengence, sometimes for days on end. Throw in freezing rain or warm rain that causes heavy melt and you have a recipe for flooding, slush, power outages and other heartache. We shall see as time, please forgive the expression, “marches” on.

It could very well mean that this month is full of sheep — very mellow with the rise of spring as birds and other animals arrive from their migrations from down south or wake up from a very long winter’s nap. Just steer clear of those cranky individuals. Bears are not morning creatures by any stretch of the imagination.

We have had a very mild winter. I would welcome an early thaw and spring this year, a mellow entry into breakup for a change — but I’m not holding my breath. Anything can happen up here in the great land, which makes it fun to try and predict just what will really happen in the near future.

Wasilla resident Daniel D. Grota retired from the U.S. Army after more than 21 years of service.