With a delightful flourish spring is here! The past week has been a roller coaster of temperatures, from 39 degrees to 88 degrees, from sun to rain, from thunderstorms and peach-colored skies to clouds of gray. You name it, we’ve had it, including reports of snow flurries mixed in with the rain of yesterday. All this moisture with intervals of heat and sun have caused the trees to leaf out, tulips to bloom, lilacs to blossom. Such a great amount of activity packed into a short time-frame. When I lived in the Pacific Northwest spring lasted from February through June — probably the longest season of the year. Now that I’m in Minnesota our spring seems to be anywhere from two weeks to a month long. We linger in winter, jump through spring and straight into summer. Our spring days are presently filled with the sounds of birds chirping and lawn mowers being started. Neighbors are getting reacquainted after the cold winter. People are walking, running, biking – anything to be outside. Our backyard has become filled with color — green leaves and grass, yellow and red tulips, and the deep burgundy of the new peony shoots. It’s a joy to be outside to take it all in.
cityscape
The return to a liquid landscape
We have turned the corner here in the Twin Cities — back to a liquid landscape. Our snow has melted (mostly) and we’ve even had some rain. It’s been music to our ears to hear the sounds of dripping snow and ice, and to once again see and hear rain falling. However, it does mean that we have quite a bit of standing water as well as flood threats on a substantial number of rivers. With sunshine and blue skies above, I set out on a long walk to the library yesterday. Now that the snow is mostly gone there is evidence remaining of what a harsh and early winter we had. Our lawn is filled with leaves that were unraked before our first snow – that first snow that never melted and was followed by another 80+ inches throughout the winter. Many trees are showing damage because of the excess weight of the snow. I’m sure some will recover, but it appears that others may not. Yet there’s a lightness in the air and the hope of spring. Just like me, there are people finding excuses to be outside and enjoying the warm sunshine. The birds are busy chirping and singing, and many of the migratory birds are coming back into the area. I was especially thrilled to hear the honking of a small flock of Canada geese as they flew over our house. They too know that spring has returned to Minnesota.
All’s quiet on Christmas eve
We awoke on Christmas eve to more snow. In what has become our snowiest December on record, another five or six inches of snow served to freshen the white coating. After taking care of last-minute shopping and dinner preparations we decided to take some time for ourselves. A drive into Saint Paul brought us past this lovely neighborhood park, complete with a beautiful tree shimmering with a fresh dusting of snow and sparkling lights. The perimeter of the park was marked by luminary candles, and off in the distance were the lights of the Cathedral of Saint Paul where people were making preparations for Midnight Mass. For the time we were here at the park, this night was still and quiet. This was the time to appreciate the evening, the beauty we enjoy during winter, and this magical and hopeful season of Christmas.
Looking out through the rain
Our summer has been one of rain, heat, and humidity. This past week I was on my way to the YMCA for yoga class. As luck would have it, it started to rain, or more correctly, it started to pour. The rain came down in buckets. I arrived at the Y, parked my car, and it was still pouring so I decided to sit it out for a while and wait. I sat in my car looking out through the windshield, across the street, to the tree on the other side. Granted, the tree wasn’t anything spectacular, but as I changed my focus from the tree to the windshield I saw something beautiful and fluid. As the rain was pouring down the glass, there was a gorgeous effect on the subjects across the street. They too became fluid and took on a “watercolor” effect. I pulled out my camera and spent the next three minutes photographing this watery scene until the rain stopped, the sun came out, and I walked into my yoga class without getting wet.
Summer sunset reflection
For the past week we’ve been treated to some spectacular sunsets. Part of this has been due to residual smoke from fires burning in Canada that has swept into Minnesota, and part has been due to the weather conditions here. The other night while we were out enjoying an ice cream cone, I noticed that the western sky was setting up for what looked like a great sunset. I scurried home to get my camera, then headed out to find a choice spot with a great foreground to make my photographic image of the setting sun. As would happen, the conditions were changing rapidly. I pulled into the parking lot of a commercial building that overlooks the interstate; mind you, not the “choice” spot for a great image. But although what I saw looking to the west was not photogenic, what I saw as a reflection in the building behind me caught my eye. With the curves in the glass and its separate panels, the sunset took on a look that reminded me of Van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” The colors of the sky seemed to swirl about in the reflection, yet were anchored by the lamp and its post. So although I didn’t find what I was expecting, I was delighted at what was presented to me by chance.
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