4 minute read
EDITOR'S NOTE
photo by Todd Zawistowski
SAVORING SPRING DAYS
by DEBORAH WYATT FELLOWS
For a long time, i had two favorite days that aren’t holidays— the summer and winter solstice. Summer is obvious, the longest day of the year, and picture-perfect for celebrating outside as the last color eases away at what seems like midnight. Who could not relish the summer solstice?
I love the winter solstice, but not for the reasons so many do—for most, it's that the shortest day of the year means the next day we begin our return to light. Don’t get me wrong. I love that. But the winter solstice for me is about stopping to be grateful for all that the dark mornings and evenings offer my life. Unlike the summer solstice, spent wringing every last glorious moment out of time on the lake or at the beach, the winter solstice speaks to the quiet, the cozy, giving us all permission to sip a cup of coffee, with a book and a blanket, and a fire. The shortest day of the year falls just before Christmas, so tree lights glow against the dark, snow-blown (hopefully) windows. And in the fire’s glow, I always stop to acknowledge this shortest day with gratitude for the peace it brings.
But for the last few decades, I have added another favorite day: The day the new leaves pop in spring. We’ve all celebrated the return of green, but there is a moment when the new leaves are so brilliantly green, that if you stand in the woods, it feels like you have landed in the land of fairies. Truly, it is magical. You have to pay some attention because when they pop, they pop quickly—some years the buds looking about to burst linger longer than others. There is no predicting exactly when the leaves will appear, but my unscientific study says it’s usually in the days around May 7-10. And they don’t stay fairy green for long before they darken into the lush, green forests we all love.
Do yourself a favor and head to your favorite trail when you first see the leaves pop. But as this month’s feature “Where the Wildflowers Are” reminds us, there are so many glorious reasons to take a spring hike. The three hikes featured are beautiful any time of the year, but having tips on which wildflowers you will see makes hiking these trails in spring even more wonderful.
The wildflower feature is written by our Managing Editor, Allison Jarrell,who went on the three featured hikes in May of 2020, just two-and-a-half months after moving to Northern Michigan from California. Allison, and her dog, Rascal, arrived in the North at the end of February, and she had worked in the office for less than two weeks before the whole staff went to remote work due to COVID-19. So, this young woman, basically knowing no one, went home to her apartment and stayed there. And Rascal learned how to wear a sweater. Allison is a beautiful photographer as well as writer, so as soon as she could, she began getting outdoors. I love the image of Allison discovering forest floors of wildflowers, lush
canopies of trees, wetlands coming to life and spectacular views, for the first time. It feels like getting an introduction to spring in her new home, during a pandemic, is built into every photo and every word. (And can I say, we have Zoom meetings every week, and Allison’s truly beautiful smile and positive spirit never faded as time away from people went from months to more than a year. Not sure about Rascal, but I understand he has learned to accept winter.)
Want to explore more spring wildflower hikes but not sure where or when? Be sure to check out the websites of Leelanau Conservancy, Little Traverse Conservancy and the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, which do all kinds of guided hikes.
I do have one caveat to add to a spring hike: Mud. I’ve always thought it was important to stay on the path with the dogs (don’t get me started on dogs and mud), especially in spring when new growth is emerging. But we recently posted an article on MyNorth.com in which the Michigan Department of Natural Resources shares a few very good, simple tips about encountering mud on a trail. Mud poses real challenges, and the DNR’s piece starts with, “Simply put, riding or walking on a muddy trail destroys the surface. It leaves ruts, deep holes, uneven tire prints, footprints and contributes to erosion. All of these items can lead to a very hard-to-fix trail surface.” The post contains some really good tips for hikers, bikers and horseback riders for what to do if you encounter mud on the trail. MyNorth.com/ MudSeason.
Celebrate spring this year by giving yourself the gift of new, shimmering, brilliant green leaves and magical forests blanketed in trillium as far as the eye can see. And don’t be surprised if your first spring hike becomes one of your new favorite days.
Bradley J. Butcher, AIA 989.705.8400 • sidockgroup.com Novi • Wyandotte • Lansing • Muskegon Gaylord • Sault Ste. Marie • Tampa • Wellsboro, PA
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Deborah Wyatt Fellows
is founder and editor in chief of Traverse Magazine/MyNorth.com. debwf@traversemagazine.com
