Spring in Montana

I know Spring blog posts are about a dime a dozen right now, but it just hit me this morning as I woke up to the sound of birds outside my window that this truly is the best time of the year in Montana.

When I get up in the morning and I feel that little chill coming in through my window, it reminds me of a summer in college where I worked in a tree nursery. In the early summer, before the heat hit, I would get there early in the morning so that I could enjoy the cool weather before the sun warmed everything up and made it first muggy and then eventually just plain hot. It's when the birds are the happiest and singing the most. It's when my shoes get entirely soaked just walking through the grass. It was then that I would work in the flower beds where there is no shade during the day and do heavy lifting that would make me pour sweat during the hot hours. I absolutely loved that job. It's why I love the smell of a greenhouse and could walk around in one all day just because I could smell that smell of wet dirt and growing plants forever. That summer, I had a strong back, buff arms, a green thumb and a tank top tan. I only ate fruits and vegetables for three months and I had never felt healthier.

Nowadays, I can't enjoy those mornings as much. I head off to work while it's still cool and the dew hasn't melted off. But, I still enjoy that chilly breeze coming in my window. I love the birds waking me up. I love the fact that my lawn doesn't need watering and still remains green and grows like crazy (even though that means more mowing). I love being engulfed in the smell of flowering trees and lilacs when I walk outside. I love the splashes of flower-covered pink and yellow and white trees as I drive to work. I love the smell of fresh-cut grass coming through my open car windows. I love the afternoon thunder clouds and never knowing if you're going to get rained on or not. I love cooling my house with the night air and coming home in the afternoon to still enjoy it.

Soon, the heat will come. The nights won't cool off as much. The A/C's will kick on. The fires will start. The air will be heavy with heat and smoke. The sprinklers won't be able to keep up with the dry weather. The only way to stay cool will be to jump in the Yellowstone or escape to the mountains.

Not to say that summers in Montana aren't enjoyable. I mean, you can't beat camping in the mountains and floating the river. It's just that I LOVE Montana springs. There is no other time that Montana is more beautiful.