When we left Colorado, yesterday, there were few signs of spring; a slight greening of the "grass," and sprigs of grape hyacinth foliage offered the only color on our Littleton farm. Heading east following the blizzard on the Great Plains, we arrived at our Columbia, Missouri, home after dark; we had travelled about 700 miles and descended 4700 feet in elevation.
This morning, we awoke to find our magnolias and forsythia in bloom and clumps of bulb plants adorning the yard . We had clearly descended into the Midwestern spring from the late-winter atmosphere of the Front Range. As any observant nature buff knows, seasonal change is not merely related to latitude; altitude plays a significant role as well.
Though I had hoped to observe migrant geese, sandhill cranes or American white pelicans on our journey, none appeared in the clear, blue sky. Tomorrow, I return to Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area after a long absence. A report will follow.
