“The brilliant sunlight lifted the last of the snow from the hillsides today and set streamlets to trickling happily down towards the mill pond. The day set nice winds to visiting quietly in our remnant of orchard trees and whispering in the spruces beside. They brought me, about my choring, subtle reminders that presently tightly curled buds will unfold and grass will green. Jamie has already found blades of grass in some sheltered spot but as he told us by ‘phone “jes’ bare nibbles of it” for the rabbits there…

As in former Springs, April brings “gull time” to the folks at Alderlea, and to the two in the house on the hill. In numbers they flock inland from the reaches of the river and from dawn until evening calls them to return there, we are aware of their presence. Like great flocks of white geese, they come down to rest on the hillside briefly, and noisily. But very beautiful they are as they swoop and soar above the stream while the sun shines goldenly on them and yet their screaming is so plaintive and continued that both Jeanie and I are relieved when at last in warmer Spring days they desert the neighbourhood, leaving it to the crows’ and other more musical calls. I thought that this morning’s light wind in the trees made a gentle apology for the dreariness of yesterday’s cloudiness and perhaps the coldness that has come tonight. But as James remarked when he came indoors after assuring himself that everything was ship-shape at the stables “It’s better to have this frost now than when we get into the cropping!” And in between April’s dark days and cold ones, one catches fleeting but heartening promises of delightful days to come.”

Ellen’s Diary, April 25th, 1947.