Spring

I have always loved spring. But spring in Omaha is .... well its .... awesomer! Spring in the Salt Lake Valley comes slowly. It can snow at anytime, and the weather can alternate between summer and winter, like a pendulum. But more than that spring in the Salt Lake Valley for me was always a waiting came. Spring meant it was too warm to do any winter sports activities, but too cold and too much snow in the mountains, to do any of the summertime activities. And so you wait. While spring is happening all around you, you wait for spring to creep up the mountain until summer comes and you can enjoy all that those glorious mounds of rock and dirt have to offer. Or you can head south. But everyone else has cabin fever like you do, and heads south while they play the waiting for spring game, and it become unpleasantly crowded.

But spring in Omaha is very different. Maybe it is because the winter are so much worse, (at least they are for me). Spring comes slowly but differently. It can snow at anytime and the weather pendulum swings just as dramatically. But once spring wraps its fingers around the world its here to stay. Spring creeps and creeps and than suddenly happens over night. This year we watched and waited and measured as the snow finally slowly began to melt. And there was the old dead grass, and it was a beautiful sight. We gloried in 30, than 40 degree weather. It was warm than cold than warm again. Then it was cloudy and gloomy and raining. But the next morning you woke up and the grass was green. And than another morning you woke up and there are leaves on the trees. The world turns from brown to green almost before your eyes. Spring is no waiting game here! Spring is when you get out and enjoy the world while its not too cold and not too hot. Spring is beautiful. People start coming out of their houses like bears that have been hibernating. They return to the coolness of the cave once the summer gets in full swing.

And then of course there is the spring migration. Spring migration is awesome in Utah but in Omaha it just seem more dramatic somehow. Maybe because winter birding is harder and less productive here. Spring migration in Omaha comes in two parts. There is the early migration of cranes and waterfowl. And the second one when the shorebirds and the warblers come back. And as I said before it get me twitching. There is so much to go see and bird. Like the grass and the trees coming to life before you eyes, the birding community 'springs' to life overnight.

And my other favorite thing about spring, sleeping with the windows open. It reminds me of sleeping outside and it is one of my most favorite simple pleasures in life.

Spring also means my birthday. I love having a spring birthday, the flowers seem to bloom just for my birthday.

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!