Spring --> #phenology and poetry

Yesterday I hiked out to the wetland to our west to check the status of skunk cabbage. As you can see, from the two purple splotches [upper left, lower right] and the small green spike in right center, it's just starting to emerge in our neighborhood. There's no sign of wild flower blossoms and the forsythia by the driveway hasn't even leafed out yet.

skunk cabbage just emerging on March 31

Photo by J. Harrington

bare forsythia twigs on March 31

Photo by J. Harrington

Once again we're into the kind of bipolar, manic-depressive, Spring weather pattern I've become all too familiar with in Minnesota. We were "blessed" last night with a light dusting of snow and more's in today's forecast. April Fool's day can come on any day in April when it comes to our Spring's progression toward Summer. Fortunately, from my perspective, April also brings in National Poetry Month, this year celebrating its 20th anniversary. Here's the poster for this year:

And here's a link to the poems featured in the poster.

Later this month, Minnesota's trout season opens. Orvis today sent out an announcement today of some fantastic new waterproof tweed waders they've developed. What with the phenology of Spring, celebrating national poetry month, and the delightful distractions of fly-fishing for trout, we're doing a phenomenal job of disproving good old T.S. Eliot and his "April is the cruelest month."

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