THIS TIME OF YEAR—early spring in southern Minnesota—I become a tree watcher.
That may sound odd to an outsider. But to us Minnesotans, who’ve come through another winter, watching trees leaf into a canopy of green doesn’t seem all that strange.
You can almost see the buds grow and leaves unfurl, a process now well underway. Green tints the skyline. And with warmth and sunshine, those once dormant trees are beautiful to behold.
Likewise the hillsides are awash in green with plants pushing through the cold earth.
And tulips open petals, popping vivid hues into the landscape. This is spring in Minnesota. Lovely. In color and in warmth.
These tulips from Paula in Holland are popping color into my life. They are in full bloom now in three vivid hues. Just beautiful!
See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in the land. (Solomon’s Song of Songs 2:11-12 NIV)
© Copyright 2020 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
It’s a glorious time to take in the evolution of spring! The trilling of bird song is welcome too!
Oh, yes, the birds. Love their spring voices.
ground temp must 55° by now and flowers will flourish 🙂
Exactly. Not sure of the ground temp in Minnesota, but things are warming and greening rapidly.
I checked yesterday….it was 57
That picture of the tulips is awesome!!! Plus the deer haven’t eaten them!! That is a real success story. 🥰
Paula, the tulips are still in the pot they arrived in. And no deer in our yard… Again, thank you for this most beautiful and thoughtful gift.
I hope this finds you and yours still healthy and well.
Thanks Audrey. We are still healthy and doing fine. If I told you I don’t have worries it would be a lie, but they seem so small compared to so many people I know and what they are experiencing, the hardships they must endure it just doesn’t seem right to complain or even mention them. So I smile, I read blogs like yours and know there are so many still trying to hold things together. Continue to be kind, continue to be humble and continue to be safe but above all continue to Love!
Your advice is so welcome. Be kind, humble, safe and continue to love. Well said.
And, yes, the issues you are dealing with matter. They are important to you. We all have something. And what we are experiencing should not be diminished by what someone else may be experiencing. Let’s be there for one another, in all things.
Who doesn’t look forward to that first haze of green in the trees?
Anyone thinking of lilacs? It will be on us before we know it.
I love lilac time because…every year Randy pulls out his pocket knife and clips a spray of lilacs for me.
Another reason why lilacs are so special… What mother has not had a child coming running with a fresh sprig of lilacs – just for her?
We always went running to Mom with dandelion bouquets since we didn’t have a lilac bush on the farm. That was at Uncle Mike’s place, just across the section.
It’s coming and it is wonderful! Spring flowers and the greening of everything is something that Minnesota needs now. Enjoy the sounds and scents of it all.
I am absolutely enjoying spring, although this week is cool and rainy. But we need rain.
As always your sharp eye for details make the images come alive
Thank you.
This year’s Spring seems
Intensely glorious. Every blossom extra beautiful.
I agree 100 percent.
Catching up here. Trees have always been “art” to me. From the really old palms at Como – if you haven’t, check out Como Live for good stuff – to just beautiful oaks, maples, etc. around a neighborhood. My bed view out the window is through trees that, just few special MN days each spring, go from brown to greening-out. Special time. The other is the gold of Fall. Great pictures!
I like that, viewing trees as art. What a lovely view you have from your bedroom.