This week it warmed up just like that. It caught me by surprise, because I had gotten into a routine of cold--very cold. The previous few weekends had been way below zero. Then all of a sudden it was 45* even 50*. Sunday Jewel and I stopped in at Itasca. Jewel loves the place and every time we turn to go down the winding road that leads back into the park she gets excited and can't stop looking out the window for squirrels and chipmunk and deer. She even jumped into the Mississippi. It was so wonderful to be out in the sunshine hearing the birds--I even got to hear my cat bird, which I have missed since moving to an area that isn't exactly right in the forest. I wonder if I can lure some of them over to the new place eventually be planting lilacs--they love to hang out in bushy plants.
Later on in the week with the warm weather continuing we went to the other close by state park a few times to take in the wonderful weather. There's snow left, although it will be gone pretty quick, and the ice on the lake is of course still thick. I love the aqua the jams are in the bright full sun. Jewel is feeling especially peppy with the warm temperatures, and although I thought I was in pretty good spirits, this warm spell has made me feel extra good too.
This coming week it will be a little cooler in the 40's, but spring is pretty much here {although I'm pretty sure there will be some sort of winter weather before it's all said and done!}. The trumpeter swans are even back on their lake. Wonderful stuff.
