Home in Time for Minnesota Spring

We returned home to Minnesota later than usual this year, arriving on April 3rd.  While we were in Cairo, I began thinking about getting started on our new vegetable garden at the lake.  Buying fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplants will get you thinking of that.

Last year, when we arrived home on March 19th, the temperature was 77 degrees and our front yard looked like this.


This year, the ground was still covered with snow on April 3.  I didn't even take a picture until April 8.


I probably could have chipped those Christmas decoration cords out of the ice on that day, but why not wait a few days and let the ice melt.


Here is the front yard on April 11 the day after I used the snowblower on the driveway.  Compare with this morning, the 16th.  We are making progress.


Maybe things are better up at the lake?  Last year I took these pictures on March 24th.


Those are ring-necked ducks passing through on their annual migration.  There were so many of them that even the robins turned to look.


We haven't ventured up to Gordon yet to open the cabin.  Fortunately, we have neighbors who keep us up to date on the weather.  Neighbor Tom ventured out during a snow shower and took these pictures on April 12th.


I guess the ducks won't be landing for a while.  And we won't be putting the boats in the lake.  And starting the garden can wait, too.

I wonder why people in other parts of the country think there is year-round snow in Minnesota and Wisconsin.  By the way, the Wisconsin fishing opener is just eighteen days from today.  And the weather forecast up north for the next few days?