Just a few days ago winter’s grip on the land was still quite visible.  Last Friday, a snowstorm was blanketing much of Minnesota in up to a foot of fresh snow.  One week later, a consistent stretch of above average temperatures have chased away the last snowbanks, and the land is awakening.

A faint green tinge is now evident on some grassy areas, and silver maples, elms, cottonwoods and red maples are swelling their leaf buds, and are about to begin pollinating for seed production.  Woodland wildflowers on south facing slopes are waking up and a few blossoms should be open this weekend.

For all Minnesotans who are lovers of the outdoors and their gardens, these are the days when we feel reborn, and almost as if we just got let out of jail.  Last night we made the short trek to our meadow and removed the white plastic trunk protectors from ten trees, the very first tending of our gardens for the 2014 growing season.  Now we are eager to clean up the debris from winter in other areas of our landscape, and will have to patiently wait to work in each area for soils to dry and firm up so we avoid compacting the soil and damaging roots.

Spring frost will surely dust the roof tops and gardens on some mornings over the next few weeks, but make no mistake, the awakening has begun.  Enjoy the journey.