After two weeks of raw weather in Missouri, I have returned to our Littleton farm. As I walked onto the property, I noticed the effects of a recent spring snowstorm; several large tree limbs lay on the ground, one partially blocking the driveway. On the other hand, it was 70 degrees F and it sure felt like spring.
Indeed, the recent snows have brought greenery to our "lawns" and a host of bulb plants are providing the color that we associate with April. One of my favorite wildflowers, the common dandelion, adorns the farm and both the wild cherries and the apricot trees are in bloom, attracting hordes of bees. Though some of the shrubs have begun to leaf-out, the larger deciduous trees remain barren, a sign that nights remain cold along the Colorado Front Range.
No doubt, more upslope snowstorms lie ahead (April is second only to March when it comes to snowfall in Metro Denver) and tomorrow will be 20 degrees colder than today after 40 mph winds rake the area overnight. But it was nice to walk into spring this morning.
Indeed, the recent snows have brought greenery to our "lawns" and a host of bulb plants are providing the color that we associate with April. One of my favorite wildflowers, the common dandelion, adorns the farm and both the wild cherries and the apricot trees are in bloom, attracting hordes of bees. Though some of the shrubs have begun to leaf-out, the larger deciduous trees remain barren, a sign that nights remain cold along the Colorado Front Range.
No doubt, more upslope snowstorms lie ahead (April is second only to March when it comes to snowfall in Metro Denver) and tomorrow will be 20 degrees colder than today after 40 mph winds rake the area overnight. But it was nice to walk into spring this morning.
