A very nice sound...

...greeted us when we got out of the car today and it sounded like the videos above.  The creeks are year-round, and at this time of year are a bit more vocal than they would be otherwise thanks to the spring rain giving them a bit more energy.  Normally in the summer or deep winter, the bottom creek is at best a foot wide and the top one about three feet wide and considerably less active.  The pictures don't give a good sense of scale, but they're both about three to four feet wide at this point and they sound impressive with the multiple little falls they pass down as they meander across the property.  One is currently beginning to undercut one of the old stone walls, so it's going to get moved - which is part of the plan anyway - and be incorporated in a pond with a slightly grander waterfall.  A pretty thing to listen to, stepping out a future back door.

None of the trees were greening up, but some of the undergrowth is beginning to show some leaves.  We can't seem to manage to get out there when the sun is shining and take pictures, I hope that this isn't a harbinger of the continuous state of the weather here.  One of the cloudiest and rainiest cities in the country is only 125 miles from here (Binghamton), so I guess we'll have plenty of water but a little less sun.  The ticks have come out from winter as well.  Most unfortunate, ugh...parasites.  Didn't have these in California where I grew up, but then I didn't have any deer, turkeys or anything except skunks and opossums really, and I grew up in a rural area.  Just have to make sure we get some ducks, geese and/or chickens to take care of the little pests.  I hear geese make nice "watch dogs" too. 

We've been in contact with some folks to see about getting the sewer put in before our permit expires, and visited a few architectural offices in the area as well.  We'll see how that pans out, and pics of any "groundbreaking" to follow as they can.