The Greening

Finally, after many false starts at summer, we have GREEN.

Perhaps it feels a bit late due to plans for a wedding on our front lawn at the end of May. Any other year, this would be totally doable. However, the two foot piles of snow we shoveled off roofs, just barely a month ago have not yet melted, despite yesterday’s 70 degree temps.

But yesterday it happened. Those tiny buds finally burst out on the birch trees, lending a slight tinge of that marvelous new growth green to our rather drab “break-up” landscape.  For all you cheechakos out there (cheechakos is another Alaskan word for newbies), “break-up” refers to the melting away of snow, dawning of either mud or rain boots, and very dingy looking snowbanks.

Considering we had early morning snow twice last week, this is great news.  “Cold” weather even prevented the first day’s opening of the Farmer’s Market by one week.  Officially, I have visited all the local greenhouses I’m aware of at least once so far.  Not that I’m in a hurry; I just needed to see splashes of vibrant color on green stalks with leaves.  Somehow, all the events of last weekend collided with amazing speed to wake me up to the fact that summer has arrived:  Graduation at the University of Alaska as well as local highschools, Clean-up Day, and I’m not sure what else!

We are looking forward to those Thursday night Music in the Garden at the Georgeson Botanical; the Midnight Sun Run, lazy canoe trips down the Chena to visit local restaurants, and a myriad of other “got-to-do’s” while the weather is fine. With the eighteen hours plus daylight, things are definitely looking up.