OMG!!! 12 inches of wet snow around my shins, some drifts covering my knees. I raised my fist to the sky with all the frustration of someone feeling sucker punched by spring. My mother says April is the cruelest month of all, because it teases us with spring-like weather and then drops winter on us when we have been lulled into thinking the flakes are gone.

Garden seeds ordered, days spent in light jackets, mud and puddles up to my armpits, I had made the transition, knowing that winter loves to do this.

MAY DAY has arrived with a blizzard! Just try to leave a basket of flakes on the doorstep in 60 mile an hour winds. Blowing snow, water covers the countryside for miles, roads are not passable.

Admittedly, there is a beautiful scene outside my window. But today I choose simply to trust the light, no matter the weather as a sure sign of things to come. Meanwhile while my little black dog reminds me of the continued joy of deep snow drifts and the beauty of four paws flying gracefully up and down , sometimes the whole dog disappearing only to surface like a dolphin, big toothy grin, tongue flying. And so it goes on the prairie.

My goodness, where did April and May go?! It is the last day of May and this is my first visit back to write! Many things have taken my time, my thoughts and my efforts in the past two months.

My thoughts have been in Minnesota a great deal in the past weeks. I guess it is a twinge of homesick for the old life, missing faces, missing activities and just generally the missing. Remember I am on the prairie and one can go a long way before one runs into another person to have an exchange with, or some days even care to.

In the past two months the state of North Dakota is being covered with water. As I type Minot is evacuating neighborhoods near the Souris River, Bismarck has done some evacuating, Devils Lake has increased in size and is engulfing the farmland around it. The livestock is in jeopardy, this has not been a good spring for calving, seeding or anything agricultural related and that of course will translate into higher prices for the consumer.

Why did I move here again? Even Zak does not show his usual enthusiasm when asked "Should we go outside?"

I will sign off for now in hopes that the next time Spring will get here before Summer!

I leave you with the thoughts sent to me by someone very special!

Heartsongs - I have found myself within music and have felt the abyss of it's absence. We must not allow our own songs to fade to silence. And we must allow ourselves to hear the music of others, enjoy what you've never heard before and inspire what has yet to be played. We all compose the symphony of life that we dance. Would anyone care to dance with me? - SPP

Pay it Forward! Remember those less fortunate and those affected by the ravages of nature this spring.

from the prairie

March 1, 2011! WOW!! I am feeling so very old today! I wrote a birthday card to my oldest son and realized he is 50 years old on the 4th of this month. That's a half century! OUCH!! And on the other hand he grew into such a nice, gentle man and has a beautiful family in spite of me. There is a force greater than myself that guided him.

Of course I have been wondering down memory lane since I dropped the b-day card in the mail. I was so young and had no idea what I was getting into as my tummy grew and my hormones were at war with me. I was supposed to be a junior in high school and I was preparing to be a mom. Thank goodness my mother lived near me at the time! Her help during those months up to the big event and then after we came home with the new addition, was so very valuable. Can you say guardian angel!

My first born is passionate about fishing and has been since he was old enough to hold a small little rod and stand at the end of the dock at his grandparents cabin on Borden Lake. He would catch little perch, little sunfish or whatever would come along and bite, then he would bring them up so proudly to the cabin and his grandmother would show him how to clean them and she would actually fix them for him to eat. He would be so excited that he caught what he was eating! Brings a smile to my heart to remember! He was maybe 3 years old. He has been fishing ever since, year round. Neither sleet, nor snow, nor wind or any other force can get in the way of his passion. And along the way while he was enjoying this passion he was learning! Learning where what fish was most likely to be, which lakes, which streams, rivers, boat or shore fishing, etc. He has become an expert and guide to others sharing his passion. He has passed the passion onto to his 2 sons and my heart goes out to my daughter-in-law, because she is outnumbered by the fishermen. Vacations and get-aways are usually planned around some kind of fishing trip. There is much more to this son of mine, but his love of the sport of fishing stands out.

On a more somber note, I am saying good-bye to a furry friend this weekend, with the help of my sister. This guy has been a part of my life for 14 years, when my youngest brought him home. Cute little fur ball with razor sharp claws, which he used often and with such accuracy. He has aged and with age comes ailments and his quality of life has been diminished by those ailments. I have agonized over what to do and along with council from my mother, mys sister and not least the vet, I have decided to end his suffering. It breaks my heart to let him go, we will meet again at the Rainbow Bridge!

So it is 3 weeks until SPRING! Can't tell it out here! -2 below is our air temp at noon. In fact one of the local merchants told me not to expect spring until about mid-May and then it will be under water this year! A little disheartening to hear we could have snow right up to June! I guess I will in by the fire until the snow is gone and there is a warm accent to the breeze that blows in my direction.

Farewell from the prairie and remember those less fortunate, always pay it forward!