spring

It's blowing snow outside this afternoon. This morning it was sunshine. This afternoon the temperature plummeted 20 degrees. Yesterday it was 50+ degrees.

Sure signs of spring.

Spring in the mountains is different from spring in the city. The signs are fleeting and transient. And covered in snow.

The other day we were down in the city and saw crocuses blooming. I came rushing up the canyon pointing my camera in every direction to capture signs of spring in our neighborhood. Here's what I found first:

This discouraged me for a few days and I put the camera away. On a sunny day, I found these signs in the snow pack.

The rippling on the surface of the snow is a sure sign of rising and inconsistent air temperatures and more hours of sunshine.

The forest critters are feeling the longer days and rising temperatures and beginning the frantic search for food that lasts all summer long.

But, really visual signs of spring are nearly impossible to capture. Spring arrives by hearsay more than the splendid ostentatious visual display I grew accustomed to in my youth in North Carolina.

When I walk into the building site now, I hear more birds. If I look carefully I can see some of them flitting about, pairing up for the mating season. James said he heard geese flying overhead as he came in the other evening, heading north for the summer. A neighbor said she saw a robin in a side canyon the other day. The mice have started to find their way into our house (ack!), arising from a winter of relative lethargy to look for food and warmth. We are shedding layers of clothing on occasion, soaking up the warm sun on our skin. And staying out later in the evenings with the change to daylight savings time.

But, the other day I did finally find one sign of spring that was willing to be captured on CCR. Can you make out the buds on those aspens?

Spring really is here, just wearing a different outfit than she does in other places.