Temps in the 40’s? That certainly means an early thaw in Minnesota, along with dreams and wishes for an early spring. I took advantage of the sunshine to take a walk around Como Lake. Along with many like-minded people who were soaking up this bit of warmth, the walking path and bike trail around the lake had everyone dodging puddles. The lake was open near the northern shoreline, allowing the ducks to come and go. In another area the ice held standing water to offer a second reflection of the winter trees. We know winter is not over, and there will most likely be more snowfalls, but for this day it was a welcome glimpse of spring to come.
spring
Bright colors to help offset winter
In the doldrums of winter, sometimes the best antidote for this cold season is a splash of color. I was rewarded with just that at the McNeely Conservatory in Como Park this morning. The narcissus and Asiatic lilies were a profusion of bright colors, with an extra bonus of scent and smell. A few hours amongst the pink azaleas and cyclamen was a wonderful way to reset the dark of winter and look forward to longer and brighter days ahead.
Scent of lilacs
Not only has spring blossomed into our visual senses, but it has now spread its delightful scents throughout the air. With a few days of warming temperatures the lilacs quickly burst into bloom. How wonderful to be stopped in my tracks when their scent was being carried by the light breeze across the yard! To me, that is the true sign of spring’s arrival and the dismissal of the dark of winter.
The return of spring
Finally! The colors of spring have returned to our Minnesota landscape. The white of winter gave way to the brown, prior to the green of spring. And now the flowers have burst into bloom, adding their yellows and pinks. Not only has the landscape brightened, but peoples’ moods have been buoyed by the bright colors too. A bed of daffodils was showcased in front of a showy field of tulips — the best of spring all in one spot, and all blooming at the same time. When I was a child, we would make “baskets” out of colored construction paper, put flowers in them, and hang them on the doors of our neighbors to celebrate May Day. I’m intending this post as the present-day equivalent to my readers. Happy May and spring!
Redbud trees
One of my favorite things of spring are the redbud trees. Their bright pink to purple buds stand out in the otherwise drab landscape. They are generally not a “tidy” tree, but are often seen on the edges of woodland areas. As we were in Kansas City a week ago, the redbuds were in full bloom there. As the spring season has moved northward with warmer temperatures, the redbuds are now in bloom here in southern Minnesota. Their bloom may be short-lived, but their brightness speaks of the beauty and colors of spring.
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