Jeb smelling (trying to eat) some daffodils
Life, like the recent weather, has its highs and lows. While we celebrated the arrival of warmer weather and new growth, we mourned the loss of two of our fur family members.
Otis
| We said goodbye to Otis the goat in late March. He was apparently suffering from a urinary stone. His kidneys were already damaged when we got him to the vet. While he hadn’t been with us for very long, I lamented his loss and wished for more time with him. His lifelong partner, Milo, was clearly distraught and was not used to being alone. He called out for Otis with no answer. Slowly, Milo started warming up to the dogs and was working on adjusting to the single life. However, plans were in the works to find him another pasture mate. Then last week Sadie, the 8-year-old Newfoundland, suddenly stopped eating and had no appetite. |  Milo  Sadie loved to swim whether it was cold or warm |
Sadie
On Friday, she ate her food like normal and went on our walk. However, on Saturday and Sunday, she had no interest in eating and was lethargic. She went to the vet on Monday where she was cared for and kept for observation. However, she passed away that night at the veterinarian’s office.
She was our brown-eyed girl and matriarch of the pack. I wanted to write more about her life. However, it may be some time before I can find the right words.
To help life my spirits, I focused on our current fur family members and the abundant signs of spring.
She was our brown-eyed girl and matriarch of the pack. I wanted to write more about her life. However, it may be some time before I can find the right words.
To help life my spirits, I focused on our current fur family members and the abundant signs of spring.
Multiflora rose bush
| As my spirits rose, so did some of the temperatures in March and April. According to National Weather Service data, March’s warmest temperatures were 76 degrees on March 20 and 72 degrees on March 30. The average temperature this year for March was recorded at 54 degrees, which was higher than the normal temperature of 45.6 degrees. While March gained on the temperature, it fell short in the precipitation category. The total precipitation for the month was 2.21 inches. That tally is lower than the normal of 3.36 inches. The snow total was down. This March had .3 inches of snow compared to the normal of 8.9 inches. According to the National Weather Service's weather station at the Venango Regional Airport, April 18 was the warmest day of the month so far with a temperature of 78.1 degrees. However, that high does not beat the record for April 18. That record was set in 1914 with a high of 93 degrees. Earlier this month Franklin hit 73 degrees on April 14 and 72 degrees on April 4. The lowest low was 22 degrees on April 9. |   Daffodils  Periwinkle, vinca minor or myrtle  Trailing arbutus |
Male bluebird
Two recent weather outlooks created by the NOAA and the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center, called for a 60 to 79 percent chance of the region seeing above normal temperatures in the coming weeks.
Skunk cabbage
Franklin received .95 inches of rain on April 5 according to National Weather Service data. A look back at some photos from 2022 revealed that there was at least an inch of snow on April 18.
That extra rain and an increased outflow from Kinzua dam on April 7 raised river levels to 8.55 feet by April 7. The river levels have slowly fallen to around 5.1 feet by mid-April.
Despite some April showers, Franklin was still a little low on year-to-date accumulation. The normal was 11.63 inches and Franklin was at 10.01 inches of precipitation so far for 2025.
That extra rain and an increased outflow from Kinzua dam on April 7 raised river levels to 8.55 feet by April 7. The river levels have slowly fallen to around 5.1 feet by mid-April.
Despite some April showers, Franklin was still a little low on year-to-date accumulation. The normal was 11.63 inches and Franklin was at 10.01 inches of precipitation so far for 2025.
May apple in mid-April
Meanwhile, the rain and warmer temperatures brought forth some new plant growth.
Tulip
| Like clockwork, trailing arbutus started to bud at the beginning of April. By mid-April more had started to flower, but there were still quite a few buds that remained closed. However, the skunk cabbage had started to unfurl green leaves. Other trees and plants began to show little leaves or buds. A few may apples appeared through the leaf litter by mid-April. Photos from 2016 showed that the may apples appeared on the same date as this year. Facebook memories showed me that this year’s growing season may be slightly behind last year. Last year, by April 17, I had photos of service berry bushes in bloom. There have been no blooms so far this year. My tulips were in full bloom last year by mid-April. So far this year, only my mom’s tulips planted in a warmer sunnier location were flowering. My bleeding-heart plant had flowers on it by April 17, 2024. This year, it was only inches from the ground. A look at last frost dates for Franklin revealed that last year’s spring may have arrived a little earlier. The last frost was on April 26 last year. However, as a reminder the last frost for 2023 arrived on May 18. |  Tulip  Tulips |
The last frost dates varied over the past few years; April 30, 2022; May 10, 2021, and May 14, 2020.
Bleeding heart
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| While the flowers seemed to be behind, our yearly spring visit from a bear was earlier than last year. On March 25, a large bruin crushed our bird feeder and looked straight into a trail camera while doing it. The bear then stuck around and cleaned out a bucket of corn set out for the deer and squirrels. Last year it was April 17 when the bear visited our bird feeder. |  Damaged bird feeder |
While I wasn’t thrilled about the bear visitor, I anxiously awaited the arrival of the ruby-throated hummingbirds.
Yellow-bellied sapsucker
Last year, my first sighting of a hummingbird was on April 27. However, in 2023, I had a hummingbird visitor on April 17.
According to the Spring Arrivals list posted on the Seneca Rocks Audubon Society’s website, the earliest recorded sighting of a hummingbird in our region was recorded as April 19.
Various sites that track the hummingbird’s migration were showing sightings closer to our region. On April 13 and 14 there were sightings in Indiana, Pa. and Latrobe.
According to the Spring Arrivals list posted on the Seneca Rocks Audubon Society’s website, the earliest recorded sighting of a hummingbird in our region was recorded as April 19.
Various sites that track the hummingbird’s migration were showing sightings closer to our region. On April 13 and 14 there were sightings in Indiana, Pa. and Latrobe.
Eastern phoebe
Meanwhile, more and more of the region’s summer residents were returning. An Eastern phoebe, a yellow-bellied sapsucker, a few chipping sparrows and a multitude of brown-headed cowbirds were just a few of the birds I spotted over the past few weeks.
Jeb
One high point in the past weeks was when Jeb found an antler shed on March 24.
He was very proud of himself.
However, he agreed to trade me the horn for a dog treat. Most male deer had shed their head gear by early March.
By early April some were showing new antler growth.
He was very proud of himself.
However, he agreed to trade me the horn for a dog treat. Most male deer had shed their head gear by early March.
By early April some were showing new antler growth.
White violet
This spring season reminded me that while we navigate the peaks and valleys of life, there are high and low points, death and life. That’s just the nature of things ‘round here.
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