My friend, Rob, and I walked up above Berlin Pond today, bright and sunny and too warm for even a light jacket. The paths were glare ice so we left them to venture wherever the lazy morning took us. At times we were on top of snow and then, where the sun had rotted it, post-holing through. In many places we walked on bare ground, some still frozen but on the south-facing slopes, definitely thawed.
The melting snow is thickly covered with seeds of various trees.
Ferns and moss were green soaking up the sun while the Osier was brighter red than I could believe. Under some leaves the first signs of Spring flowers coming up. And a few birds and insects flying about along with a lone Woolly Bear Caterpillar (the larval form of Pyrrharctia isabella, the Isabella tiger moth) crossing a very muddy road.
The track of the Wooly Bear crosses the track of a 4x4. My mind can barely hold this juxtaposition of tracks but funny to think that the little critter is experiencing Vermont "mud season!"
We marveled at the long lines of old stone walls that crisscross the hills. Five generations of Steward family farmed the hillside from 1790 to 1950 but I wondered, given the poor quality of the land, how they ever eked out a living.
The forecast is for a week of warmth. The vernal ponds will soon be noisy with frogs and the Pond free of ice.
Lichens, like these British Soldiers (Cladonia cristatella), were a delight to see with the snow melted back.
Still Learning To See 
Your words and pictures allow me to feel as if I have been, in part, on that same spring-awakening-walk with you and Rob. What a delight!
I wish you could have been! We have another long adventure planned for tomorrow into the Northeast Kingdom!