The warm weather actually hit in March. March 21st and the trees started to bud. 10 days later, no foolin', and only the birch have yet to bud. Our magnolia has blossomed and the blossoms are nearly completely dropped.
Did get out for a very very short couple of hikes in the last week. One in the backyard woods for about a mile. Part of the trail borders the backyards of three houses across the street. One neighbor cleared out a bunch of scrub that blocked his yard from the trail. Think I'm going to have to blaze a new trail that goes off into the woods a bit in that area. There is no less than 6 feet from the trail to his lawn and only two or three bordering trees. That's too close for comfort. I don't care for hiking through people's yards.
The second hike/walk was with the wife and youngest boy. About three miles down a snowmobile trail on the east side of town. One day I'll need to put on the pack and walk that trail for a few miles. Follows an old railroad grade for miles. Through an industrial area, a subdivision outside town, farm fields, and beyond. Looks interesting.
The wife bought me a willow tree for our 5th anniversary. Put that into the ground last week. Sure hope we don't get a freeze in April. Spring is just way too early. Disorienting.
Next chance for hike is looking like this Thursday, April 5th. Depends, though. I'm very anxious to put the canoe in the water. Only so much daylight. Between work and kids, there has been precious little free time.
Plans for the summer? Well, I'm hoping to be able to get a good sized hike in over by Lake Michigan. Don't what yet and it will involve the wife and kids. With the kids that discounts a day long hike. They just haven't the patience to put up with that kind of discomfort. Another one is that I'm really hoping the wife and I can put in a good 15 miles or so on the Ice Age Trail up in Merrill in August. Big trips are kind of out this year, and probably the next. The money is just not there and won't be for a few years. Work's not sending me anywhere so no opportunity in foreign lands either.
Sorry folks, this blog might just get a little boring for a few months. Never can tell, though. I would have never guessed I'd been to the places I have in the last five years.
