Waiting for spring in Boundary County

Has spring sprung here in Boundary County?

Well no. The only thing you can be sure of about the weather around here is that every year it will be different. Recently I drove along the Kootenai River to the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge and looked north toward Canada, the Selkirk Mountains and Mount Hall. The ground was clearly covered in snow which has been there for most of the winter, but now it is March and it is time for a change, although it has been slow in coming.

Spring is the time of year when everything in nature is changing and promising new life and new hope. After the long dark winter months, spring is literally a “breath of fresh air!” And as the days get longer, the nights get shorter and it starts to feel warmer, causing mother-nature to respond in a big way.

Just stepping outside on a spring day can be rewarding with a crescendo of bird songs, a display of flowers bursting into a colorful display and the welcome sight of animals not seen since last year.

Nature is busiest in the spring with millions of birds migrating.

The first bumble bee out of hibernation or butterfly flying over the lawn is as welcome a sight as the spring blossom of fruit trees, cherries, plums and apples signal the end of winter and the beginning of new life.

I am ready for that spring smell.

I love to inhale the earthy spring fragrance that the land produces in March. It’s equal parts rain and soil, grass and ozone, creating a perfume that no amount of chemical wizardry can replicate.

Sometimes I like to stand outside early in the morning with my nose pointed skyward, eyes closed, breathing deeply, and think, “now that is Boundary County, almost heaven.”

Look on the bright side: winter is about over and spring is nearly here.

As winter turns into spring take a walk in the country side and enjoy the beauty of Boundary County.