Springtime in Montana is like a fickle girl forever changing her mind. She has difficulty deciding whether she wants winter to stick around or to go away leaving her with warmer sunshiny days.
As usual, we have experienced all sides of spring weather, everything from a dusting of snow to “boy, it’s hot” heat. It has, however, been in stark contrast to the April of 100 years ago.
April is making good on its record of being the most variable month of the year in the Flathead. A drop in temperature during the night and some moisture laden clouds drifting in from the west covered the hills in a mantle of white, and as vigorous a little snowstorm as we have had at any time during the winter. ~ The Inter Lake, 1912
One of the things I like best about this time of year is that sunrise is arriving earlier. Also, we begin to actually see the sky as it is not always hidden behind clouds as in the wintertime. Had it not been for daylight savings time we would have seen the sunrise much earlier a month ago, but springing forward left us in the dark a whole month longer making it harder for me to pull myself out of bed on chilly mornings. I have never appreciated daylight savings time, and would be happy as a lark to leave well enough alone as far as the rising and setting times of the sun.
Aside from a cup of coffee, a pretty orange sky perks me up in the morning. At this time of year, the trees remain bare and winter-like giving me a view from my window of the sun rising over the mountains. A few of them have been absolutely stunning and had I not been in my dirty bathrobe the other morning, I would have made it to a better vantage point to capture it with my camera.
It took me a few minutes to get dressed and holler for my daughter to come along. As much of Kalispell slept, we drove to the edge of town just minutes away. The air was brisk and felt good on our faces as we stepped out of the truck to take a picture. Only a handful of minutes had passed, but the deep orange sky was fleeting and the lighting had changed.
I missed the shot but took this one of a passing school bus as it rode over the Conrad Bridge taking students back to school after a long spring break.
The sun rises over the Flathead Valley and a school bus brings students back to school.
It was the beginning of a fine day.
Marlene
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