Boise News

From the Panhandle

Spring Has Not Sprung

By Cate Huisman, 4-18-11

A moose enjoys a long-lasting winter in a Sandpoint alley.

It’s almost Easter, bringing to mind spring, green grass, daffodils, bunnies….

But here in Sandpoint, the grass is white with frost, the temperature is well below freezing, and tiny white flakes are drifting down aimlessly from an icy gray sky.

What happened to spring this year? In the mountains, the snowpack continues to increase (although the ski area has closed), and in the garden, the tulip leaves have emerged from the ground, but the flowers refuse to bloom.

“Spring has Sprung” says the headline on the cover of The River Journal ”>The River Journal over a photo of two kids playing in a sunny creek, but in smaller, darker letters below, the subhead reads, “Just add a little snow to this picture.” Inside, Idaho Fish and Game columnist Matt Haag writes, “Seems this year winter really dragged out . . . though I think we can say spring is finally here.” That was almost three weeks ago.

It’s not as bad as the year snow covered the football field where the annual children’s Easter egg hunt is held, but Easter was a lot earlier that year. And it sounds like the weekend weather was even worse in the south—I’m grateful my brother in North Carolina called to say he was okay before I could see the news.

But darn, we’re ready. I wouldn’t even mind mowing the lawn, if only it would thaw out enough to grow.

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