Spring fantasy

© harrington

Welcome. Thanks for stopping by. Tomorrow's weather may include fog and hoarfrost. That, if true, presents an opportunity for some more pretty pictures although a picture of a hoarfrost covered tree in the fog may be akin to a ghost in a snowstorm and the flip side of a black cat in a coal bin at midnight. The latest issue of Big River magazine arrived yesterday. It has a wonderful cover photo of pasque flowers, with more inside. This evening I have to read the story. I know they're a harbinger of Spring, but I've always associated them with the prairie more than the Mississippi river. Anyhow, I'm getting more and more excited about the seasonal transition. Daylight savings starts this Sunday. I'm anticipating the arrival of Canada geese late next week or thereabouts. Before then, we may get several days in a row where the daytime highs are above freezing. That will result in melt, then drips, then trickles, then possibly rills leading to rivulets. Speaking of flowing water, much of the St. Croix river is still ice covered, as are the local lakes. We're probably about a month from ice out on the lakes and I'd expect the river to open sooner. Easter is early this year, March 31. That's when I'm going to take a look to see if we have any local pasque flowers. But before then the Minnesota EQB will be holding their Environmental Congress on March 15. If you can spare the time, you should register to attend. I think it serves  Minnesota well when citizens help keep an eye on even the best intentioned public servants. One of the things that caught my eye recently was an item about the folks in Fergus Falls still trying to find a new use for the former regional treatment center/state hospital. I wonder if it could serve as a focus for education and activity related to the major prairie restoration effort recently announced. Wes Jackson has been doing some amazing work at the Land Institute. Maybe we could do something comparable in My Minnesota. Today we added fantasy to the rants and raves served here daily. Stop by tomorrow to see what's brewing or stewing.