Happy Spring!

Ah, here comes April: the month of hope in Minnesota. To be honest, since we had three blizzards in April two springs ago, I try to keep my hopes of spring in check now. I refuse to put away my winter boots until May 1. Nonetheless, my family took advantage of the day last Sunday and decided to check out the Heartland Trail. Tom and I strapped on our rollerblades while Megan climbed aboard her trusty purple, princess bike. We rolled to Heartland Park, where Megan befriended a toddler on the playground equipment. Tom and I rested on a picnic bench and ambled towards the river. I saw two swans come down for a spectacular, high-splashing landing in the river. The sight of swans always provides such a mix of feelings for me. They are incredibly beautiful creatures. My grandmother loved them and decorated her home with swans before she died. On the other hand, swans are mean buggers. For a time, I volunteered at the Raptor Center in St. Paul and even though swans are not raptors, swans in need of rehab ended up at the Raptor Center because no one else would take them. If a person dared to enter the swan room, a sheet of protective plywood over the legs was necessary to avoid having one’s legs destroyed by a swan swinging its long, graceful neck in order to use its bill as a weapon. Also, the swans would hiss. Once on vacation in Europe, Tom and I watched a swan attempt to take a nearby baby duck for lunch. Fortunately, the mama duck was a fast rescuer. Still, watching swans from a distance is a beautiful sight. I marvel to see swans in northern Minnesota. They seem like the sort of creatures that only grace fairy tales and sophisticated, romantic places (maybe I underestimate my homeland). As we rolled home again, my breathing became a bit shallow while the tissue-formerly-known-as-muscle in my back began wailing. Still, spring IS coming and there is nothing like spring in Minnesota. I’m convinced Minnesotans are more appreciative than anyone else when winter ends and we are once again blessed with opportunities to play outside without packing on three layers of clothes. Happy Spring!