Trout And Chipmunks, Two Signs Of Spring
Gary Moore
March 19, 2026
Friday was cool, especially after five days of nice warm days, but I did rejoice at two sure signs that spring is near.
I saw my first chipmunk of the year when one emerged from the stonewall beside our walk and looked at me and Oak before diving back down out of sight. Soon chipmunks will be all around the house after having spent the winter in a state of torpor.
Here they have to compete with an abundance of gray squirrels and red squirrels but all three species seem to do well and none are afraid of Oak who seems to ignore them.
Mary Holland writes in her Naturally Curious column that, “Eastern Chipmunks somehow detect that days are lengthening and temperatures are rising from their subterranean tunnels and soon scamper above ground. One of their two annual breeding seasons occurs in early spring, and there is no time to loose—females mate usually within a week of emerging above ground and will give birth in about a month.”
The second sign of spring was spying trout that had made it through the winter under the ice of our little pond back in the woods. Each year I check when a small section of ice opens where the snowmelt trickles in. Friday there was an opening about two feet wide and six feet long and trout were seemingly enjoying the sun that was shining as was I.
I threw some pellets into the opening and the fish rose to take them no doubt hungry after months below the ice. As soon as they cleaned them up I would toss in more, enjoying the sight and happy that the trout had survived the winter.
Forest Bathing
I first learned about forest bathing from watching my old friend Will Lange in an episode of Windows To The Wild. It is not what it sounds like nor is it like any of the many times I have taken a dip in a remote mountain stream on a hot day.
Forest bathing is the practice of relaxation and sensory immersion in a natural environment, often through a series of exercises, like deep breathing. When forest bathing one stays put, often in the shade of a ig tree or in the sun if you prefer.
An AMC Be Outdoors newsletter said,”When you smell fresh air and hear rustling leaves, it can feel like your whole body is calming down. That’s because it is. It’s your central nervous system taking cues from the environment around you. Study after study has shown that spending time in nature reduces the stress hormone cortisol, among many other benefits.”
Forest bathing is similar to sitting quietly waiting for a deer or turkey to appear during hunting seasons except without being hyper alert and focused on the species hunted.
The AMC newsletter went on to say, “While cultures throughout history have prioritized time in nature, the term forest bathing comes from a 1980s public health initiative in Japan. Since then, it’s become a bit of a trendy buzzword—especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, when many looked outdoors to connect with others safely.”
I have learned that you can pay various entities to lead you in forest bathing but why do so. There is no special clothing or equipment required. All you need is time and the desire to let ourself relax completely in a quiet place in the woods.
Bits and Pieces
Tune in to WYKR 101.3 FM or 1100 AM on Thursday at 6 p.m. for The Outdoor Edge. Thoughts on the Out-of-Doors airs as a segment of the program.
My guests will be three women whose years of adventuring have long drawn my admiration. St. Johnsbury resident Dr. Joyce Dobbertin and Lyndon residents Patty Emery and Larissa Flynn who recently traveled to Antartica will talk about that trip and some of the other exciting adventures they have had around the world.
***
This Friday, March 20 the Vernal, or Spring Equinox marks the start of calendar Spring early this morning at 10:46 a.m.
***
NHPR’s Mara Hoplamazian reported on an 80 mile journey undertaken by a New Hampshire fisher that I found very interesting. It was the longest documented dispersal journey for a fisher.
UNH researcher Rem Moll’s team found a young fisher on campus back in 2024 and put on a GPS collar. They tracked her: to the Great Bay, back to Durham, then to Maine, across Lake Winnipesaukee last winter, and finally to Lincoln, NH where she died in December.
***
This is the fourth year in a row that the Maine lobster harvest has declined. Lobster is one of my all time favorite foods. I eat lobster a couple of times a month, more often when I am on the coast, and consider it a special gift from the sea, unprocessed natural food as good as it gets.
***
According to NH law, all bobhouses must be removed from the ice no later than the end of the day on April 1.
Vermont law requires their removal before the ice becomes unsafe or before the last Sunday in March, which ever comes first.
Parting Shots
It seems like everyone is complaining about the Post office as many are not getting mail delivered for long periods of time and how long it takes to get mail sent from one post office to another resulting in penalties for late payments.
We are lucky in Bradford. A dedicated group of overworked employees do their best to get mail in our boxes in a timely manner, always with a professional demeanor.
What frustrates me is the delivery of my newspapers. I don’t get one for two or three days and then get three to five in one batch, often receiving a Friday paper before the previous Monday’s. I know my local postal workers are not responsible for the delays, but I still find it very frustrating.
***
I spent the weekend in Williston training with the Vermont Hazardous Materials Response Team so my spring chores had to wait until Monday afternoon when I returned after taking Linda to DHMC.
***
We are now on daylight savings time and I do not like it. I am a morning person, up by 5 most days and I prefer to have light in the morning rather than in the evening when I am ready to sleep. Give me standard time year round.
Syndicated columnist Gary W. Moore may be reached by e-mail at gwmoore1946@icloud.com or at Box 454, Bradford, VT 05033.
copyright 2026 Gary W. Moore
I saw my first chipmunk of the year when one emerged from the stonewall beside our walk and looked at me and Oak before diving back down out of sight. Soon chipmunks will be all around the house after having spent the winter in a state of torpor.
Here they have to compete with an abundance of gray squirrels and red squirrels but all three species seem to do well and none are afraid of Oak who seems to ignore them.
Mary Holland writes in her Naturally Curious column that, “Eastern Chipmunks somehow detect that days are lengthening and temperatures are rising from their subterranean tunnels and soon scamper above ground. One of their two annual breeding seasons occurs in early spring, and there is no time to loose—females mate usually within a week of emerging above ground and will give birth in about a month.”
The second sign of spring was spying trout that had made it through the winter under the ice of our little pond back in the woods. Each year I check when a small section of ice opens where the snowmelt trickles in. Friday there was an opening about two feet wide and six feet long and trout were seemingly enjoying the sun that was shining as was I.
I threw some pellets into the opening and the fish rose to take them no doubt hungry after months below the ice. As soon as they cleaned them up I would toss in more, enjoying the sight and happy that the trout had survived the winter.
Forest Bathing
I first learned about forest bathing from watching my old friend Will Lange in an episode of Windows To The Wild. It is not what it sounds like nor is it like any of the many times I have taken a dip in a remote mountain stream on a hot day.
Forest bathing is the practice of relaxation and sensory immersion in a natural environment, often through a series of exercises, like deep breathing. When forest bathing one stays put, often in the shade of a ig tree or in the sun if you prefer.
An AMC Be Outdoors newsletter said,”When you smell fresh air and hear rustling leaves, it can feel like your whole body is calming down. That’s because it is. It’s your central nervous system taking cues from the environment around you. Study after study has shown that spending time in nature reduces the stress hormone cortisol, among many other benefits.”
Forest bathing is similar to sitting quietly waiting for a deer or turkey to appear during hunting seasons except without being hyper alert and focused on the species hunted.
The AMC newsletter went on to say, “While cultures throughout history have prioritized time in nature, the term forest bathing comes from a 1980s public health initiative in Japan. Since then, it’s become a bit of a trendy buzzword—especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, when many looked outdoors to connect with others safely.”
I have learned that you can pay various entities to lead you in forest bathing but why do so. There is no special clothing or equipment required. All you need is time and the desire to let ourself relax completely in a quiet place in the woods.
Bits and Pieces
Tune in to WYKR 101.3 FM or 1100 AM on Thursday at 6 p.m. for The Outdoor Edge. Thoughts on the Out-of-Doors airs as a segment of the program.
My guests will be three women whose years of adventuring have long drawn my admiration. St. Johnsbury resident Dr. Joyce Dobbertin and Lyndon residents Patty Emery and Larissa Flynn who recently traveled to Antartica will talk about that trip and some of the other exciting adventures they have had around the world.
***
This Friday, March 20 the Vernal, or Spring Equinox marks the start of calendar Spring early this morning at 10:46 a.m.
***
NHPR’s Mara Hoplamazian reported on an 80 mile journey undertaken by a New Hampshire fisher that I found very interesting. It was the longest documented dispersal journey for a fisher.
UNH researcher Rem Moll’s team found a young fisher on campus back in 2024 and put on a GPS collar. They tracked her: to the Great Bay, back to Durham, then to Maine, across Lake Winnipesaukee last winter, and finally to Lincoln, NH where she died in December.
***
This is the fourth year in a row that the Maine lobster harvest has declined. Lobster is one of my all time favorite foods. I eat lobster a couple of times a month, more often when I am on the coast, and consider it a special gift from the sea, unprocessed natural food as good as it gets.
***
According to NH law, all bobhouses must be removed from the ice no later than the end of the day on April 1.
Vermont law requires their removal before the ice becomes unsafe or before the last Sunday in March, which ever comes first.
Parting Shots
It seems like everyone is complaining about the Post office as many are not getting mail delivered for long periods of time and how long it takes to get mail sent from one post office to another resulting in penalties for late payments.
We are lucky in Bradford. A dedicated group of overworked employees do their best to get mail in our boxes in a timely manner, always with a professional demeanor.
What frustrates me is the delivery of my newspapers. I don’t get one for two or three days and then get three to five in one batch, often receiving a Friday paper before the previous Monday’s. I know my local postal workers are not responsible for the delays, but I still find it very frustrating.
***
I spent the weekend in Williston training with the Vermont Hazardous Materials Response Team so my spring chores had to wait until Monday afternoon when I returned after taking Linda to DHMC.
***
We are now on daylight savings time and I do not like it. I am a morning person, up by 5 most days and I prefer to have light in the morning rather than in the evening when I am ready to sleep. Give me standard time year round.
Syndicated columnist Gary W. Moore may be reached by e-mail at gwmoore1946@icloud.com or at Box 454, Bradford, VT 05033.
copyright 2026 Gary W. Moore
Have a story?
Let's hear it!
(802) 757-2773
(603) 787-2444
news@thebridgeweekly.com
