Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The sap is really starting to flow


It’s coming. Spring is really coming.

It surpassed 80°F for the first time in 2013 today. I didn’t have plans to visit the river this evening, but I couldn’t stop myself.

There I was, on the same path that I walked just four days ago, but it was as if I had leaped forward in time. Much of the underbrush is spiky with tiny leaves, and some of the trees are already blooming. But the biggest change was within the witch hazel.

Their vivid red stems—the only vibrant color present in colder times—have mellowed to rich burnt orange. The grass is greener, the air fresher, and the warm breeze exhilarating. Ah yes, the breeze, we are expecting a storm again tonight.

The wind is gusting to 25 miles per hour. It whips the river into chunky waves and grounds most of the songbirds, but not the swallows.

Banking left, Banking right, A flick of the tail to gain some height. These masters of the wind were a glorious sight.

Okay, so I’m not a poet, but my hike was over all too soon.  I can’t wait to see what the trolls are up to, but that is more of a weekend adventure. I’ll be making a report later this week.

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