Spring Fling Wing Ding

I have always loved spring (I think most people do probably) and this year is no different. It has been a long winter, even with a February getaway to Mexico. I remember as a young girl how excited I would get for spring - in Fort McMurray the winters were long and dark and deep and spring came suddenly and with great triumph. The city had an annual river break up lottery where everyone would put money on when the river would break. A few years it sort of melted away without any dramatic announcement but most years it was violent and impressive. The sudden change in temperature coupled with ice jams and building pressure would often send huge (size of cars and even bigger) chunks of ice flying into the air and onto the banks. Those chunks of ice were so large that they often sat there, diminished but present, until mid July. I loved it. The loud cracking sound of the ice exploding could be heard from almost anywhere in the city, like a grand announcement that spring was here. Nothing like that happens here in Calgary - spring arrives gradually and often teases us by disappearing and reappearing a few times before it sticks. This weekend we went to Raymond for Easter and had a great time. We coloured eggs and took them out to to coulees where we rolled (well, were were instructed to roll them but to be honest, most of them were launched) them down the hill and then searched for the year's first crocus'. That felt pretty defined for me: it is springtime in Alberta.