Spring Fever a WHOLE MONTH EARLY!

   I am sitting here, writing out my next post and listening to the song birds twittering outside my window.

image courtesy

Song birds.

In MARCH, people!

In Minnesota, 

a.k.a.: home of the frozen tundra, ten thousand frozen lakes and a million frozen fish.

*er--* at least normally I should say.

   Normal March in Minnesota means lots of snow. Crazy snow.

Crazy snow like our mailbox so buried that the post man is sticking mail into a hole in a ten foot tall snowbank.

yep, that was the door of our mailbox

Crazy snow like the kids are sliding off the roof of the barn at homeschool co-op because its just another hill and the horse could care less.

kids sledding off the horse barn roof.

Crazy snow like snow drifts trying to reach the tops of 35 foot trees,

or to the bottom of windows in a protected corner,

yes that's the dog kennel buried halfway up the door. We'd lost the corgi by now in the snow drifts. Ha!

or burying stop signs so you have no idea where the road begins or ends,

or so much snow that the ditches are packed,

 and the road crews are literally carving out pathways for cars to drive through in the giant snowbanks.

I want to thank my friend Cathy for taking some seriously amazing pics of the weather while I was staying in a hospital a couple hours away, and couldn't.

   We have had two winters like that in the last two years. When our birth mom was having to stay near a hospital in a larger city about an hour and half from home I would break out in a cold sweat each time I knew I had to get on the road and drive home to visit the family. The snowbanks were taller than the car by another 3-4 feet in some places, and out on the prairie, if you get hit with a storm while driving, there is just no chance to see anything. There is nothing to stop the wind and snow, so you hunker down and pray for it to end, or diminish enough to be able to see to the next town.

   You know that whole saying about if March comes in like a lion, it leaves like a lamb? Well I keep thinking that March kinda came in like a lamb, so are we going to get hammered on the last week and get seven feet of snow in less than four days? Seriously, people, I am wondering while watching the trees bud, and the song birds return, if March is going to roar out, leaving April  to snarl, and spit, and shake us in her teeth until we raise our hands in surrender to the down parka patrol again.  I am not normally a pessimist at all, and it surprises me to be thinking this way.


   Am I enjoying it? Absolutely! In tank tops and shorts and sitting out on my reclining lawn chair soaking up every single minute. Doing yard work on the new house and the garden we put in last year until we cant see to work. Letting the kiddos out to run like wild children in the warm weather in rompers and sundresses.

image courtesy

But I am wondering what the catch is in all of this.

   I have lived in Minnesota for more years than I can count right now, and I can not honestly think of any time that I have seen this much Spring before Spring should normally come. I wonder how the storm season will be this year with severe weather, which normally comes in May or June. I wonder how hot, and  long, and dry the summer will be, and if I should trust and plant a few things earlier than normal? I mean, what is a packet of spinach and pea seeds compared to soaking up some glorious rays in the middle of March?
   So there is joy in my step as I am out in the yard with my children, and husband today, but I am still holding back that little bit of caution. I am going to dance in the rain, but if it turns to hail I wont be shocked. I will just thank God for the extra gorgeous days of sunshine, pull out the long sleeve shirts, and find everyone's snow boots.
   How about where you live? Are things normal-ish for your location? Or are there some different things going on that are catching you by surprise? I laughed out loud this morning when I realized it would be about 30 degrees warmer here than it would be in my hometown, which is a gorgeous orchard-growing micro-climate in Western Colorado. My mom made me laugh harder when she told me my youngest sister called and told her it was going to be "nice and warm", which meant around 45* there today. Since it was 84* HERE, I personally think we got the better part of "nice and warm". (you cant see it, but I am sticking out my tongue and thinking "na-na-na-na-na-na-na")
   Anyhow, I am going to be posting a lot this week on different things to do with Spring. I will also be sharing lots of other ideas over at the FB page that dont make it into my blog, so if you havent already, head on over there and check it out! Click here to see what else I am adding daily over there!
  Just as a treat for you, I am including a little video I saw on YouTube that to me speaks of Spring. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Many Blessings to you and yours,

Heather