I think I can say (at last) that Spring has arrived near the Twin Cities. This being Minnesota, I won’t rule out the possibility of more snow. (In fact, it is in the forecast for Tuesday.) We do seem to have turned a corner, however.
For one thing, most of the snow has melted. When I last went snowshoeing, three weeks ago, there was more than 12 inches of snow on the ground. Now, most of it has melted, except where it has piled up along the edges of streets, driveways, and parking lots over the winter, or in places of deep shade. Even shady spots have had significant melting, with temperatures reaching the low 40s and a day of rain on Friday.
Rain! What a wonderful thing that was, to have rain instead of more snow.
I don’t usually mind snow so much, but I am tired of it and all that it entails: boots, gloves, hats, grit on the bottom of shoes and boots, snowpants for the kids. With the slightly warmer temperatures, followed by freezing at night, it also means ice. Since I’m the one who takes the dog out first thing in the morning (when it is still dark), I don’t like fumbling around in the dark when there is ice.
The dog has noticed the change in temperature, too. We have started our walks again, which means that she no longer wants to do her business in the yard. We’ve been to the neighborhood park a few times, and she thinks that we should be going there at least twice each day to do her business. She doesn’t seem to understand that there is a difference between walking to the park in the daylight, when I can see the ice, and heading there in the pitch black of 5:30 in the morning.
This morning, however, she let me sleep in until after 6:30, and by that time the sun was coming up. It was also relatively warm, at 20 degrees, so I agreed to walk her to the park. There was ice on the sidewalks, but I was able to avoid it and escape falling. Two years ago, an unseen patch of ice caused me to fall and sprain my ankle. I don’t want that to happen again.
Despite the cold temperature, it seemed like spring the moment I opened the door and stepped outside. The first sound I heard was of a red-winged blackbird singing its trilling song. I always think of that as one of the first signs of spring, and it was good to hear it. Other birds were flying about and calling, too. I love that we live near the Minnesota River Valley, an important flyway for migratory birds. I see and hear so many of them each spring.
It was nice to be able to walk again in the early morning (although it was chilly). With the deep snow and the cruel cold of this winter, I have hardly walked the dog at all. For her part, she has been unusually content to potty in the yard. In fact, it was so pleasant to feel the sun and listen to the birds, that the dog and I passed the park and continued on down the hill, dodging patches of ice. We came to a drainage pond, and while the dog sniffed an entire winter’s worth of smells, I watched nine mallard ducks circle about above the still-frozen surface of the pond. Last summer, I had watched two pairs of ducks raise their young on the pond. I couldn’t help wondering if these were the same two families. Just like last summer, they seemed to alternate between trying to drive each other off and flying peacefully together. One drake flew down to stand on the ice for several minutes before flying back up to rejoin the others in their circles.
The dog completed her morning duties, and we walked back up the hill, listening to the songbirds calling. I wish I could identify more of the calls. I enjoyed them and thought about how much it seemed like spring. It’s about time.
This afternoon, when temperatures reached into the 40s, I could no longer justify staying inside. The dog was not loth to take another walk, so we headed back down the hill. She pulled me right on past the park and headed back down to the drainage pond. I was surprised to see the surface completely melted by this time, and the ducks where paddling on the water, seemingly content. I wonder what they can find to eat so early in the season.
This afternoon, we saw many others drawn outside by the sunshine and comparatively warm temperatures. Several had dogs, too. We took a longer walk this time, and the dog was overjoyed to smell so many scents after a long winter of being inside. She didn’t hesitate to leave her own signs of spring. I’m sure the dogs who came after us will have left their own comments, too.
I was overjoyed to feel the sun. The breeze felt pleasant for a change, instead of frigid. It seemed like everyone I saw was smiling. We have needed spring.
Tomorrow the temperature is forecast to reach near 60 degrees. It won’t last, of course. Tuesday’s forecast is for 30s and snow showers, but there is hope. The ground feels slightly soft when I walk on it, so I know it is thawing. I hope that means that the tulips and daffodils will soon begin to sprout, and then the frogs will come out and begin to sing. Those will be sure signs of spring.
I love this season of rebirth, especially after a long, cold winter.
God is so good.