Spring Time in the Rockies

4/20/2016

I wake to the birds singing loudly in all directions. It is hard to know which ones as they seem to be all singing at once, at bit like being in a convention hall where everyone is talking at once louder and louder in an attempt to be heard. The birds sing of the newness of the world. The new growth everywhere is slightly lighter than the old. The colors are subtle but obvious, a lot of silvery white, pale yellow and an occasional deep maroon. Trees that look dead and bare from a distance are truly full of new life up close, they are heavy with new buds ready to burst into leaves and blooms announcing the arrival of the new season. In the mountains the Spring is truly MUD SEASON. All the underground springs that have been dried up for months burst forth once again. The ground above the springs becomes soft and wet. The road, South Beaver Creek is filled with soft wet spots that become damaged road from the springtime springs. It is a fact of life in the mountains and as the runoff runs it’s course the springs will dry up as will the roads and the ground so that mud season will fade away. But for now one must remove one’s shoes on entering the house in an attempt to preserve order and cleanliness. The air today is filled with fog and chill yet there is the promise of warmer weather not far off now. The air smells damp and rich with all the moisture and new growth that is wet with dew and fog. You don’t really know what to expect from the day as the sun could burst forth or snow could comes down from the heavy clouds that hang overhead, that is the reality of Spring in the mountains. The only sure thing is the mud!

Mud Season

Here mud season is official
The ground soaks up the moisture and builds a muck
Every where there is soft wet earth announcing the change
Bursting forth at will, in our driveway, all along the dirt road
The county so use to the phenomena they just put out signs
Warning damaged roads, and wait out the process
The springs will run their course and cease to exist soon enough
Shoes heavy with mud sit in mudrooms designed for this very reason
The air is rich with the smell of wet earth and new growth
Everything smells new and moist
Cars are never clean as they are spattered constantly with mud
Small hills and grooves develop in the road way creating obstacles
Drivers slow down recognizing the need for more caution than usual
Maybe the springs are nature’s way of alerting the humans to the change of seasons
One of the many signs that time is marching on and we are on to the next part of the cycle
Once Again