Maybe it's all a trick.

Spring seems to have arrived early here in Minnesota. And in an unusually gentle way. Often, there are big ups and big downs. Weather swings. But so far, the coming of spring has been pleasantly gradual. We had a week or two of high temperatures in the 30s. Now a week or two in the 40s. And on Monday, the prediction is for a 50. Maybe it signals a week or two in the 50s. Followed by the 60s. The snow-pack has gradually eroded. I see far more bare ground than snow. The frost has left the ground. I know. Because the sump pump keeps turning on in the crawl space beneath the house. The lake is still frozen, and usually it doesn't open until the first or second week in April. But I have a feeling that we may see open water by the end of March. A rarity. Of course, winter could still make a comeback. It's happened before. Blizzards and sub-zero temperatures in April. Maybe the weather gods have a trick up their sleeves. --Jim Broede