Spring!

Landscaping by Mother Nature

Spring comes late to the tundra. March 21 is just another day on the calendar. Spring, which is to say less winter, starts in May. The first sign of the approaching spring is that the snow disappears from the ground and isn't replenished. There might be a sprinkling of snow in early spring, but it doesn't stay. The mountains remain white, but the whiteness begins to retreat until only the tops of the mountains are covered in snow. The air temps warm a bit, but not very much. The air feels heavier because it carries more moisture.

Even dandelions are pretty when
allowed to grow freely!

One of the first things I noticed was bird song. The eagles and ravens are here all winter, but the small birds that chirp and chatter were absent. Then, one morning, I heard them. I never noticed their absence, but I was happy to welcome them back.

Beautiful purple spikes
stand above the grasses

Bit by bit, the dried brown grasses give way to new green shoots. The greenness spreads first along the ground, and then up the mountains. Just as the snow creeping down the mountains heralded the onset of winter, the green creeping back up shows that spring is here.

These tiny white flowers
remind me of chamomile,
but I don't know what
they are.

Then the tundra bursts into bloom. My favorite color is purple, so you can imagine how happy it makes me that the predominant flower color is purple. There are also some yellow flowers and some white ones, but the only ones I've identified are the dandelions.

I love the way the silvery-green
foliage contrasts with the
brighter greens of other plants!

People continue to wear boots, since the ground is marshy. They wear jackets, but not heavy coats. The scarves, ear muffs, and gloves are gone until next winter. There seems to be more activity, but that's only because the workers are back at the cannery, and there are scientists working on identifying possibly contaminated sites from WWII. There are just more people!

As spring continues, the temperature may creep up a bit, but most days will have highs in the 60's. Shirtsleeve weather for me, but I guess most people will continue to wear light jackets.

Cody seems to love the change. Every time we go outside, he rolls in the grass. Such a silly dog!