May brings spring

After the snow season the ground that is revealed is already celebrating the arrival of spring. Grass and moss are coming out in patches around the rocks and being joined by what will soon be wildflowers. Garter snakes come out from under the deck and sun in heaps of snake spaghetti. There is a complete family; father, mother, and two babies wrapped around each other. Their gray patterns blends in with each other and only when I look closely can I count heads and tell how many snakes there are.

Fuzzy ping pong balls, the least chipmunks, hop from rock to rock looking for food. The larger ground squirrels that compete with the chipmunks for birdseed don’t pay much attention to the chipmunks. The ground squirrels move slower and don’t seem nervous. They love to sun on rocks and roll in the light gray earth near their burrow.

Pine cones and tree branches left behind by wind and snow litter the ground. The mule deer pick up twigs, taste them, eat a few, and paw at a few. I see green breaking out of the ground and feel the contrast of soft leaves versus the stiff, sticky pine needles. Our family gets outside and removes the large pieces of dead wood so the pine beetles that have left mountain sides in the area bare don't have a base to attack from. We check the bark of the growing ponderosas looking for the little yellow cones of the bumpy waxy substance that signify beetles have bored into the tree.

Three weeks after the last snow green is the predominate color on the ground. Wildflowers are here--- a pasque flower sits in our neighbor’s meadow with six sepals that look like petals, have a purple exterior and open daily to reveal a white interior.

More snow stories

Living in Texas for five decades I was a connoisseur of year round heat and its many variations. Since moving to Colorado three months ago I’ve seen more snow than I ever have and I found out it also comes in many types.

In Texas the weather at Easter can range from beautiful spring warmth to down right hot. In Colorado this year I saw a little rain, a little snow, and then hail that covered the deck with a thin layer of pellets the size of the end of a pencil. Instead of dressing up and going to church we hunted for eggs in the house and drank hot chocolate.

Thursday night after Easter it started to snow. Friday morning there was over a foot and it was still coming down when Tad and the boys went out and made a fort in the back yard. While we ate lunch we watch the five deer we often see walking through the yard jumping through the snow. One went straight to the fort and stuck his head deep into the snow; I don’t know if he was checking out the fort or checking out the scents of our family.

By night over two feet had fallen. It was so wet and heavy tree limbs started going down across the county and electric company trucks were called to restore service to over 6,000 residents. We sat in front of our fireplace, told stories, made lists of things we needed to buy before the next storm, ate cheese and crackers, and went to bed early.

Saturday morning our neighbor snow plowed some of our driveway and helped us shovel the really deep sections so we could get out if we needed to leave. I was happy to hear this much wet snow had not fallen since 2003. I wasn’t worried about our safety, but I wasn’t looking forward to another night without hot food and light.

Saturday afternoon the house began to hum--- we had electricity--- all was right with the world! As I started cooking I realized how thankful I was to be able to cook--- something only a few nights ago I wasn’t wanting to do. And enjoying a hot shower I thought how much I take for granted.

Sunday afternoon we ate on the back deck in the sun without coats looking at the snow melting on the ground. Our house is in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where the weather changes from hour to hour. Generally the snow is a fine powder and less than a foot deep. This means the views are beautiful and by the time I’ve shoveled part of the deck the sun is shining and county snow plows have long since freed our cul-de-sac.

Now I know snow can be a part of spring. The big snow storm gave the ground the moisture it needed and plants were budding and the grass was coming out in patches around the rocks within a week.

Today is May 18th and everything in the landscape is covered in green. Chipmunks run from rock to rock each day gathering food and sunning. I can hear birds everywhere in the trees, but often they are little and fast so I’m still trying to figure out what kind of birds they are. The deer are curious about the work we’ve done digging a garden--- they sniff all around as they sample the new grasses.

A new spring time sound I hear is rapidly honking car horns as deer or elk cross the road. The first person to see the deer or elk approach the road stops, honks several times to warn other drivers and then sits to watch the animals cross. Sometimes the procession is orderly and fast. Other times the animals double back a couple of times or stop and stare at the people staring at them from the cars.

I’m sure there will be a lot more to discover about our new home. I looking forward to finding out what the next thing will be.