From Where I Sit

By Pat Spilseth, Columnist

Walking in the sunshine today I spotted the first peekaboo wild flowers blooming in the park. It was easy to identify the mottled leaves of trout lilies. My next surprise was Mayflowers with their delicate white flowers; nearby were patches of wild hyacinth with their radiant purple blue flowers. What a surprise to see wild flowers blooming today…two days ago it snowed several inches and temperatures barely rose above freezing.

See what I mean by Mother Nature being fickle?

Yesterday when I looked out my windows, I couldn’t see anything but fog. None of the neighbors’ houses across Carman’s Bay were visible. Fog had rolled in enveloping everything but the waves licking our shore, a perfect example of Mother Nature’s moodiness.

What a cruel teaser this week has been. I woke up to spring sunshine and almost 90 degree temperatures, no ice on Carman’s Bay and a boat crunching a path through the ice to the Narrows, a spot between upper and lower Lake Minnetonka. An overly anxious home owner on the lake is pounding his dock posts in, carrying dock sections and rushing to be the first boater on the lake! Really…it’s not a competition of who gets their dock in first! Some folks are just too competitive. Just relax!

This weekend brought freezing temperatures and a heavy snowfall that needs shoveling. That and taxes are misery in April! It’s strange to see swiftly running waves at our shore next to a blanket of thick snow.

Spring can be so fickle; Mother Nature seems to have constantly changing moods. My hopes of sitting on the deck with coffee and the newspaper have been dashed. It’s freezing outdoors! I’m disappointed. I was ready to clean our Adirondack chairs and relax with a book. Phooey! Today I’ll stay indoors reading by the fireplace.

Two days ago when I went out to the mailbox to get the newspaper I saw tulip leaves pushing through the dry leaves and dead grass. I know the rhubarb is anxious to emerge down by the lake. Creeping Charlie has begun its yearly takeover of the lawn and gardens. It’s almost time to get out the rakes, gardening tools, fertilizer and weed killer. My blooming geraniums in the kitchen window are itching to enjoy outdoor sunshine.

I’m so happy to find wild flowers that come up each spring in the park across from our house. My favorite spring flower is the brilliant blue wild hyacinth. Crowded, colorful clusters of the hyacinths only last a short time. Prolific groups of delicate spring beauties appear throughout the wooded park. Soon they’ll be joined by dutchmen’s breeches, hepatica, wild white, pink and purple violets and a few hidden Indian moccasins. When these blossoms appear, I think that spring has arrived. How delightful to see wild flowers, new life, take over the dead, dusty grass.

Our wooded neighborhood is bursting with budding maple trees. Lovely ancient willows have yellow tendrils swinging and swaying in the spring breezes. Bunnies are everywhere, as well as fat squirrels who scramble to collect the bird seed scattered from our feeders by the robins, woodpeckers and cardinals. Now that we can get through the mountains of fallen snow, we’re filling the feeders once again with sunflower seeds, which the birds seem to prefer. Ducks and geese arrived the instant there was open water. How can they swim in the freezing water next to chunks of ice?

Deer live in the park and the marsh, though I’ve seen few of them this winter. Two fearless raccoons nonchalantly walked across our front deck as I was inside reading the morning newspaper. They’re so bold and fearless! Now I really miss Buddy our Beagle who died several years ago at 15. His distinctive bark drove the coons away.

This winter several neighbors have been in bad health. Like many others I’ve become aware of A-Fib. I now have a pacemaker. My mom also had heart issues. Thank goodness for medicines. Many of us are bionic with new hips and knees, arthritis and back problems. We may be limping along, but we’re still active and involved. Several friends are in the hospital or care centers with serious conditions. Support these ailing friends and their caregivers. Anxiety is destructive for caregivers sapping energy, strength and attitudes. A card, flowers and phone calls can perk up the spirits of your friend. Caregivers are unsung heroes.

Spring brings renewed energy and hope. Try to ignore the freezing temperatures and additional snowfall. Let’s think positive and focus on nature’s beauty: trees glistening with hoarfrost; the ice is gone from the lake and the sun is shining. Soon warmer temperatures will allow us to put winter jackets away and get out the flip flops. Nature smells great! Life is good!

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To contact Pat, email: pat.spilseth@gmail.com.