A flock of geese flew over the house, announcing the beginning of Minnesota’s First Spring. Temperatures soared to the upper 40s and, after a brief frost tonight, we expect several days without a dip below 32. Remarkable for early March.
One of my great pleasures in early spring is chipping ice off the driveway. Our driveway is old and has some dips in the middle that accumulate water, which can then freeze. No matter how carefully the driveway is cleared, ice builds up an inch or more thick over a large area. With the warmer weather, the ice will melt on top and on bottom. When conditions are just right (like today), I can chip off large chunks at a time, and toss them into the woods. I challenge myself to break ever larger chunks, and some today were larger than a snow shovel can carry. What joy! People who live in warmer climes probably cannot understand the pleasure this gives, as I bask in the warmth of 45 degrees.
As I write this, I am listening to Arcangelo Corelli’s version of La Follia (The Madness), which seems appropriate for the coming of First Spring, then perhaps a brief Second Winter, then Second Spring, with the year whirling, twirling ever faster, tumbling into Summer.