{"id":92,"date":"2020-04-23T15:33:01","date_gmt":"2020-04-23T19:33:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/clangin\/?p=92"},"modified":"2020-04-23T15:33:01","modified_gmt":"2020-04-23T19:33:01","slug":"april-transformation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.uvm.edu\/clangin\/2020\/04\/23\/april-transformation\/","title":{"rendered":"April: Transformation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It seems like nearly every day I wake up and there is a new sign of spring. Although I can really only see these signs in my backyard and my neighborhood, they still give me great promise for the warm weather to come. Over the past three weeks, spring has sprung in spurts, with a few days of sun and warmth, then a few days of rain and wind, and even, two weeks ago, a day of snow (pictured below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A light coating of snow<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My mom and I have been walking our dog almost every single day, and nearly every day we walk we seem to find a new tree that has bloomed or more flowers sprouting along the sidewalk. Often we see daffodils, forsythias, azaleas, and countless more species we cannot name. One of our neighbors has a beautiful, tall tree with white flowers that we believe to be a magnolia. It seems that every day we walk by it has blossomed even more (pictured below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A magnolia tree blooming in my neighborhood. A bright patch of forsythia is visible in the background.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The return of many familiar species of birds has also signaled the coming of spring. I’ve seen countless robins bouncing around our backyard, flashing their orange chests, and giving hope for warmer weather. The other day while I was sitting outside doing homework, an American goldfinch landed on the chair right next to me. I had never seen such a colorful bird up close before, and luckily I was able to take a few pictures before the bird flew away (pictured below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An American goldfinch perched on a chair<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Overall, it is becoming increasingly clear that spring is coming. Some days it feels like spring is truly here to stay. But on others, it almost feels like winter has returned. This being my eighteenth spring in New England, I am not surprised by the drastic range of weather that usually occurs in March and April. However, I am still fascinated by it, and hopefully by my next entry spring will be here for good. (notes below)<\/p>\n\n\n\n