One of the most anticipated events of spring is the blooming of lilacs. Although their bloom time is short it is one that is noticeable throughout our area. All along the alleys, highways, and even interstates, lilacs are used as buffers to noise. They can grow to be huge bushes, towering way over the houses, with their blooms stretching upwards into the sky. We took our canoe out for a short paddle and fishing adventure one evening this past week. By the time we returned to the house the sun had set and the night had become very still. The air temperature was warm and moist from the rains of earlier in the day. As we unloaded our canoe and gear we were surrounded by the sweet smell of the lilacs that was lingering in the night air. It was delightful and memorable, and I made a point to cut some of the lilacs to bring into the house, trying to extend the time and appreciation of their short-lived spring scent.
spring
Spring is here
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.
Easter surprise
Easter and spring are times of renewal and new beginnings, and so often surprises too. This past week we were greeted one morning with a two-inch snowfall (winter just hasn’t wanted to let go of us yet). However as quickly as it turned cold, it also turned warm today, just in time for Easter. With yellow sunshine, green grass, and the promise of blooming flowers, everyone’s moods were brightened and I’m sure many Easter egg hunts were the merrier because of it.
Little cabin on the prairie
This past January, in the middle of freezing temperatures and feet of snow, we were planning a spring trip to a Minnesota state park. We decided that mid-April would be a perfect time to go to the prairie lands of western Minnesota and enjoy a warm sunny weekend with the opportunity to photograph early wildflowers. Of course, this past winter has been harder and longer than usual, and the snow has only recently melted. So it wasn’t altogether a major surprise when we drove to Lac qui Parle State Park on Friday night and arrived in the middle of a snow squall. The snow continued throughout the night and into the morning, with the winds howling around our little camper cabin. As “frightful” as it was outside, we were warm and snug on the bluff overlooking Lac qui Parle Lake, which is a broadening of the Minnesota River. The winds continued throughout the day Saturday, blowing the clouds across the prairie sky. Eventually the front passed us by early Sunday morning and we awoke to blue skies and warmer temperatures. Lac qui Parle was named by French explorers who lived with the Dakota Indians and means the “lake that speaks.” This weekend the area was “speaking” with a plethora of pelicans, geese, ducks, and cormorants. We were even treated to the sighting of a coyote and the olfactory “sighting” of a skunk. With the recent spring snowmelt the lake has flooded the lowlands and even closed some of the roads in the area. However, we were still able to explore this part of the state that borders South Dakota, meet some fascinating people who shared their knowledge and history of the prairie and the area, and brush up on the history of the fur-traders and missionaries that settled here with the Dakotas in the early 1800’s. We will certainly return to this wonderful state park and prairie land again, perhaps in the fall when over 150,000 Canada geese migrate through the area. Although our original plans and expectations did not come to fruition, we had a truly wonderful and enjoyable weekend.
Yellow of spring
The one color that sums up everything about spring is yellow. It’s the color of sunshine, the color of warmth, and the color of daffodils. These bright flowers shine with color and promise and brighten any day. Although we don’t have daffodils blooming outside just yet, I was fortunate to find these lovely blooms at the McNeely Conservatory in Como Park. They speak to me of warmer temperatures, the end of winter, the hope of spring, and the promise of summer.
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