Three Spring Weekends

Spring's arrival sets our family off in celebration with a flurry of outdoor activities. Springtime in Wisconsin brings surprises. Blizzards bring deep snow, the sun warms the air from below freezing to beach-warm, sometimes within a 24 hour period. Don't like the weather? Wait 5 minutes!

On a mid-April day, I went for a hike just after a blizzard to enjoy the snow thinking it might possibly be my last chance until autumn. In hindsight, I was right! I noticed a surrealness to hiking with the satisfying crunch of snow underfoot, while robins chirp and the air is tee-shirt warm. Your wet feet slip and slide over gorgeous snow as it begins to melt; first in the spots open to the sun, and later in the valleys and shadowed portions of the forest.

Hiking video, April 2018

A week later, we found ourselves in our tents. We cinched our sleeping bags around our faces on a 24˚ F (-4˚ C) night longing for warmer days. Our goal for that trip? To get out the three season tent for a shakedown opportunity before further, wilder trips - our annual opportunity to test any new gear from birthdays and Christmas. Even "full shade" camping spots are sunny in early spring. With leaves still snuggled safely in their buds, shade is scarce this time of year. No one ever thinks to bring sunscreen along in early spring, but everyone regrets not remembering sunscreen.

Camping Video, April 2018

A week later, spring burst onto the scene. With spring's first wildflowers in blossom and leaves starting to peak out of small buds, we enjoyed a warm night in camp. We woke to the sounds of sandhill cranes, geese, owls, and turkeys. I saw deer, ducks, loons, geese, and a barred owl. I watched squirrels chase one another through the trees. It felt good to be alive.

Camping Video, May 2018 

Sunday morning camp breakfast.

Birds on the lake in place of ice.

New leaves.

May apples.

Campfire.

Sunrise. 

Spring flower.

Things change fast in the springtime. The trick is to get out and enjoy each stage of spring while it lasts, because you blink and all to suddenly it's gone.

That's all for now. Let's get outdoors and keep our wild places wild.