One of the first prairie flowers to bloom in the spring are the pasque flowers. They thrive in gravel prairies and are found in various areas throughout Minnesota. Yesterday I ventured south of the Twin Cities to a Minnesota Scientific and Natural Area. When I first arrived, the morning was cool and overcast, but I was thrilled to have found a wonderful slope dotted with these small pasque flowers. Standing only 4 to 5 inches tall, they are easily overlooked from a distance. As I walked along I found more and more of these little gems pushing their blooms up from under the brown grasses. I spent over an hour photographing, all the while accompanied by the sounds of Canada geese and mourning doves. As I stopped to take in the beauty of the landscape around me the skies slowly cleared and I was treated to a warm sun and beautiful pasque flowers against a blue sky — a delightful and wonderful welcome to spring.
spring
Spring green
Within a one-week span, spring has arrived and broken through the late-winter doldrums. Warmer temps and an afternoon of rain followed by clear sunshine has brought a burst of green all around. The lawns have quickly changed from brown to green, blooming daffodils have been spotted in the neighborhood, accompanied by colorful crocus, and leaves are starting to be visible against the blue skies. Our lilac bush has opened its lovely light green leaves to the warmth of spring. Everything seems to be about two weeks ahead of schedule, yet no one is complaining. Even the smell of green and spring is noticeable and welcome in the air this first week of April.
Rugby in Nebraska
Unbeknownst to me there is a huge annual rugby tournament held in the spring in Wayne, Nebraska. Seventy-two teams, men and women, converged on the town of Wayne this past weekend for the March Madness Rugby Tournament. I have a nephew playing on the Kansas State/Fort Riley Rugby Club, and they were scheduled to play in the tournament. With a drive south from the Twin Cities, we were in the middle of teams from 17 states — a driven and exciting rugby culture. K-State won their first three games, putting them in the championship game again Bethel University (which happens to be in my home-town of St. Paul). Although my loyalties were tested, I had to cheer for the K-State Wildcats. In a close match, K-State prevailed with a final score of 23-21. Congrats to the team and players, and may your bruises and scrapes heal quickly!
The ups and downs of spring
As we headed into the first day of spring, the week seemed to have been filled with ups and downs. Our weather has bounced from 60’s to 40’s, from spring to winter. My favorite NCAA basketball team, the Jayhawks of Kansas University were up and then down, causing my brackets to bleed red. But today has ended the week on an up note. The Minnesota Twins held an open house for their season-ticket holders and we had the opportunity to see the brand new Target Field. Just like someone getting dressed up for company, the skies were blue, the sun was warm, and we learned the stadium is a gem! From our seats near the first base foul pole to the upper deck to the clear image on the scoreboard to the speaker system that you can actually understand — it’s all good. And to add icing on the cake, we’ve learned that our home-town MVP Joe Mauer has agreed to a contract extension. The team is looking good, and now our new stadium is almost done. Spring is in the air when you know opening day for baseball is just around the corner!
Uncovered surprises
With rain and warmer temperatures, most of our snow cover has melted. What surprised me was what has now been uncovered. Not only have I spotted tulips courageously pushing their tips above the ground, but I also found a beautiful dried hydrangea bloom. Somehow it survived the winter without being crushed by the weight of snow. I woke one morning to see it being blown by the wind across the front lawn. So strong, and yet so delicate, its blossoms are sheer with amazing intricacies. When backlit the bloom shines with the warmth and strength of the sun, and reminds me of other surprises to come in the change from winter to spring.
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