Mother Nature always tests us in late winter.
After a brief thaw has us thinking of trout lily blooms in the woodlots and strutting turkeys in greening pastures, we get a surprise, shovel-bending snowstorm or an Alberta Clipper that ushers in single-digit temperatures.
And this winter, I don’t have to remind you, the COVID-19 pandemic added an extra challenge to many of our lives.
But here in Wisconsin we’re used to dealing with – even appreciate – four seasons. More than the others, winter helps build our strength and adds to our character.
It also makes us extra appreciative of spring. I can feel it coming. Can’t you?
At some point a south wind will gather and push soft, warm air into Wisconsin. Our lakes will turn from hard to soft. Wood ducks will court on the ponds and steelhead will surge into our Great Lakes tributaries.
All of that, of course, will happen according to Mother Nature’s schedule and not a day sooner.