Spring?

The last couple of weeks we’ve been on a roll. Sunny days, temperatures in the low 50’s, and no snow on the ground or ice on the river.

I’ve been taking advantage of the wonderful weather by taking walks around the neighborhood. The telltale sign that spring is here is when the pussy willow buds emerge. 
I’ve been seeing plenty of them.

Well, that spring feeling didn’t last as long as I thought it would. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday it snowed. Nighttime temperatures have been below freezing.

Thank goodness the Masters golf tournament is being played to snap me out of a funk. It’s an event I associate with spring more than I do pussy willows.

I’ve been watching the Masters my entire life. I’m not an avid golfer, mind you, but my grandparents and my father were. As a child, I had no choice during the first full weekend in April but to watch the CBS broadcast of a “tradition unlike any other…” 

Sure, I remember the battles of Arnold and Jack, Nick and Greg, and Tiger and Phil. But what I remember more than the pursuit of the coveted green jacket was the setting of the tournament.

Everything was in full bloom in Augusta Georgia. The grass was green, leaves were on the trees, the azaleas were blooming, and songbirds could be heard in between the quiet clapping after a well placed shot. Heck, people were even wearing shorts. 

Nothing was in bloom in Minnesota. Definitely no shorts. The contrast couldn’t be more stark.

Sitting in Minnesota I felt like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz when she was in Kansas. Everything was black and white. When the Masters came on, I felt like Dorothy when she woke up in the technicolor world of Oz. Simply amazing.

Now that I look back, I wonder if watching the Masters is how I learned patience. As much as I wanted everything to be green right now, I realized, in due time, Minnesota (and now Alaska) will soon look like Augusta Georgia. 

A couple of final thoughts about the Masters.

My friend George and I have been texting for years about the Masters and who will win. His pick this year is leading, and mine is in the top ten. By the end of this day, one of us will have bragging rights.

Also, I couldn’t end this without a shoutout to an avid reader of the blog and golfer, my uncle Mike. He spends more time on the many courses of Pinehurst in a year than I do fishing on the Kenai River.

Finally, go Scottie and more importantly….go away snow!!!