The February thaw

A warm Chinook wind gave us a week of March-like weather a month early. It may have given some trees a false start, too, as the air temperature rose about 32 degrees (F) during the day and sometimes stayed there at night.

The snowpack was compressed and some water began to puddle underneath, but local rivers appear generally unaffected so far. The temporary thaw served as a window into the future, when March will soon be a reality. Everyone is getting ready, but Nature moves on a broader scale of time. "Where is spring?" we all ask each other. When I see geese, I will know for sure.