Ooo-we! The temperature was in the upper 30s today, and the forecast calls for 40s the rest of this week. Balmy! The sun is leaping higher every day, and hanging around longer; it’s even light when I get up in the morning. And I can see gravel in a couple of places on the driveway.

It’s time to start watching for hares again. They’re easier to spot in the spring and fall as their coats change. Nature’s imperfect and there are usually plenty out of sync with their environment. Plus, the snow melts along the road more quickly than some other spots, so they seem to congregate there, where I see them on my walks to the mailbox.

It’s time to start watching for birds, too. And butterflies. It seems there are more butterflies here than in other parts of AK. I’m not sure that’s true, but I noted an abundance of butterflies our first spring here. One of these years I’m going to plant native wildflower seeds and see if I can’t attract some. Actually, I collected a variety of wildflower seeds last fall and tossed them about key locations. I wonder if any will come up. I put a bunch of larkspur and lupine and fireweed and monkshood and ??? around the base of an aspen we “saved” when we built. It’s a tiny little undisturbed island off the front corner of the house. My father framed it with rocks last summer, and made it the home of a leather-boot-flower-pot that I picked up from the side of the highway last summer. He’s got one a lot like it at his house, which is why I recognized what it was when I found it.

Look how easily my thoughts and enthusiasm turn to spring and summer. Wasn’t I just mourning the loss of winter? I am as predictable as the sun, but a few weeks behind it.