Coaxing Spring

You can feel the chill in these photos of bluebirds, beaver-ravaged landscapes and ingeniously dammed streams, bare branches waiting for their spring clothing, busy salamanders scooting under and over the dead leaves choking cold pools.

But spring is in the works. The salamanders prove it. But you can feel a certain yearning in the sun and air for late winter to release its grip and let the growing season burst forth.