27 April 2017 - Spring in Utah

Spring. It is a blessing and a curse. As I write this, I can look out the window and see big fat snowflakes coming down. The grass is rapidly turning into a sea of white. I know it won't last long, probably won't even last the day. The trees are mostly leafed out. Fruit trees are in full bloom, gardens are filled with the bright colors of daffodils, tulips, iris and lilacs. And it is snowing. Again. Two weekends ago, I woke to 10 inches of wet heavy snow. The weight of the snow left the neighborhood covered with broken limbs, trees snapped off a foot above the ground and debris everywhere. The  next day all you could hear was the sound of chainsaws. 

While winter does not give up easily and these are rather normal spring events, it doesn't mean I don't like winter. Snowy landscapes are stunning, but by late March and April, I prefer watching the world begin its gradual turn towards chartreuse as the first buds and blades of grass appear. The desert's gray, dried mud playas punctuated with the white bones of greasewood are transformed as the vibrant green leaves unfold.  In addition to the emerging green world, the sky can be spectacular in the spring as well. 

Spring is sneaky. It starts well before you notice. Here in late March, trees and shrub branches begin to glow against the snow. 

As the snow recedes, the fields take on a tinge of color. 
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One of the first signs of seasonal change is the appearance of spring parsley. It brightens our deserts with  its fresh greens and yellow flowers. 

Sunsets over the Great Salt Lake are saturated with color. 

This last winter our snow pack was high enough that as the air began to warm up and melt the snow, our rivers overflowed their banks. This is normally a sleepy little stream meandering through a large meadow. Most of the meadow is now underwater. Another month and it will be a small creek again. 

The Bear River was above flood stage for weeks, covering fields with water for many miles along its course. 

The second week of March I was looking over this valley in its winter drab gray. 

Two weeks later, the view was quite changed.

I am also a big fan of contrasts. The colors of spring against snow covered ridges are one of my favorite things. This is the south end of Utah Lake. 

Next is the south end of the Great Salt Lake looking at Antelope Island. 

Standing in the same spot but turned 180 to look at he Oquirrh Mountains. 

As often as possible I take the back roads. This lovely field bursts into bloom mid-April. Subdivisions are encroaching and I doubt it will last much longer, but it is a joy to see in the spring. 

It is also fun to see plowed fields in the spring, especially in areas where the dirt is red. 

There is an invasive weed that often takes over in the spring. The huge swaths of purple are pretty, but problematic. 

But all of this makes my heart happy. I love to see the changes slowly work their magic on the world.