Finally the weather is nice enough to get out and hike. The John Burroughs sanctuary is a favorite place and there, at the beginning of the hike, was the sign I've been waiting for: Spring. It said so right on the tree. This is a beautiful place to hike, rocky and swampy with a lovely little waterfall. John Burroughs (1837-1921) was one of the most popular authors of his day and is credited with creating the modern nature essay. In 1895 Burroughs purchased a tract of land near his river-front home in West Park, NY, and built a two-story cabin as a place to write and entertain. He constructed much of the cabin himself using the rough bark-covered slabs from the first cut of trees, and named it "Slabsides." He was friends with John Muir, Teddy Roosevelt, Henry Ford, and Walt Whitman. I'm pretty sure Slabsides and the swamp will be appearing in a future painting.