in Thoreau’s Journal:

A cold disagreeable day—sun not fairly out—yet the snow of yesterday melts apace—you can almost see it melt. Each time I look out I see more of russet or green — At first the bare ground showed itself in the middle of the road & rapidly widened giving the birds wider pasture; then the grass in the fields began to peep through & the landscape to acquire a russet hue again— The green blades under the south side of the houses & hills appear to have grown wonderfully since the snow fell & to be several shades darker green.