Julie Lence's Blog - Posts Tagged "trees"
Springtime in the Rockies
I am a native of New York, but now live in the west. I love it here; the food, the people, and every morning when the clouds aren't down, I wake up to a spectacular view of the mountains. Snow-capped peaks, jagged edges, the sun reflecting off someone's windows; I never get tired of looking at the Front Range. Not only are the mountains beautiful, they also tell the weather better than the news.
From my front porch, I have a clear view to the west, where the Front Range cuts a path from the Mexican boarder to the Canadian boarder. Fluffy white clouds will sometimes sit on the top of the peak, obscuring the tip as though someone took a knife and sliced it off. Other times, clouds will lay in the nooks and crannies. But when those big, grey clouds appear behind the peak and start moving in my direction, I know I have about 30 minutes before the rain hits--or not. Many times, while I can see the rain hitting the ground, the storm decides to take a different path and misses my neighborhood completely. And for this time of year, that isn't so great. We need rain. Not snow. Not wind. But rain. Welcome to Springtime in the Rockies.
Spring is thought of as each day warmer than the last, buds sprouting on trees, birds singing, the grass turning green and planting flowers. Here, Spring is a combination of Spring, Summer and Winter. We have warm days. We have cold days, and sometimes we have a hot day. Birds do chirp outside my window, but the grass in the yard is so dry, it looks like I'm growing hay for horses. And to plant flowers right now is a waste of time and money, because it does snow and the night temperatures do dip down below freezing.
Two days ago, the sun was shining, the afternoon was warm, and then the storm rolled in. The temperatures dropped fast, and one big, gust of wind brought a combination of rain and sleet, which rapidly changed to snow. Within a few short hours, we had four inches covering the ground. Right now, the front yard is white and pristine. Today and tomorrow, we'll have a meltdown, as the temperature rises, but come this weekend, we have a cooling period and then back into the 60's. All of this makes for some interesting days, and frustration.
I'm ready for the days to stay warm, for the rain to wash away the winter dust, for opening the windows and putting away the winter coats and boots. I want to see flowers grow--not weeds, like I've already seen--and I want the grass to turn green. I also want buds to appear on the trees, though why I don't know with my allergies, and I want my trees to flower this year. Two years ago, a cold spell shocked the trees so much that they haven't sprouted flowers since then. But overall, I welcome a true Spring because I thrive on the new growth and the energy it brings to my writing. There's something about the sun poking through the window, with a slight breeze floating on the air that keeps my muse flowing and my fingers typing so I can reach the end of the story. Or maybe I reach the end because I know in 2 short months, school is out and my writing schedule heads south. Mmm… I think it's a combination of both; warm days and the need to complete the story before my days are no longer my own.
From my front porch, I have a clear view to the west, where the Front Range cuts a path from the Mexican boarder to the Canadian boarder. Fluffy white clouds will sometimes sit on the top of the peak, obscuring the tip as though someone took a knife and sliced it off. Other times, clouds will lay in the nooks and crannies. But when those big, grey clouds appear behind the peak and start moving in my direction, I know I have about 30 minutes before the rain hits--or not. Many times, while I can see the rain hitting the ground, the storm decides to take a different path and misses my neighborhood completely. And for this time of year, that isn't so great. We need rain. Not snow. Not wind. But rain. Welcome to Springtime in the Rockies.
Spring is thought of as each day warmer than the last, buds sprouting on trees, birds singing, the grass turning green and planting flowers. Here, Spring is a combination of Spring, Summer and Winter. We have warm days. We have cold days, and sometimes we have a hot day. Birds do chirp outside my window, but the grass in the yard is so dry, it looks like I'm growing hay for horses. And to plant flowers right now is a waste of time and money, because it does snow and the night temperatures do dip down below freezing.
Two days ago, the sun was shining, the afternoon was warm, and then the storm rolled in. The temperatures dropped fast, and one big, gust of wind brought a combination of rain and sleet, which rapidly changed to snow. Within a few short hours, we had four inches covering the ground. Right now, the front yard is white and pristine. Today and tomorrow, we'll have a meltdown, as the temperature rises, but come this weekend, we have a cooling period and then back into the 60's. All of this makes for some interesting days, and frustration.
I'm ready for the days to stay warm, for the rain to wash away the winter dust, for opening the windows and putting away the winter coats and boots. I want to see flowers grow--not weeds, like I've already seen--and I want the grass to turn green. I also want buds to appear on the trees, though why I don't know with my allergies, and I want my trees to flower this year. Two years ago, a cold spell shocked the trees so much that they haven't sprouted flowers since then. But overall, I welcome a true Spring because I thrive on the new growth and the energy it brings to my writing. There's something about the sun poking through the window, with a slight breeze floating on the air that keeps my muse flowing and my fingers typing so I can reach the end of the story. Or maybe I reach the end because I know in 2 short months, school is out and my writing schedule heads south. Mmm… I think it's a combination of both; warm days and the need to complete the story before my days are no longer my own.
