Signs of Spring

Signs of spring in the Rocky Mountains are definitely different than what I grew up with on the Great Plains. For one thing there is still plenty of snow when March 20th rolls around. The daffodils have not even sent up their green shoots, nor the tulips. This is our fourth spring to live in the mountains and we are growing more accustomed to this winter wonderland and what early signs of spring look like. For instance today I saw the first bluebird and a red winged blackbird. The ice on the river has begun to break up and the river is flowing nicely amid its snow banks. We are still skiing, but the snow is not so much powder as it is icy, and there is mud everywhere. One thing that we have not yet seen, but are looking forward to as a sure sign of spring are the white pelicans that nest just down the road from us. When they arrive we are told it is surely spring.