Spring

A few days ago, there was soft red mist across the trees-the first leaf buds of spring, ruddy against the mountains. Now, a soft green mist has replaced it as the first, sweet green of spring hatches from red cocoons in delicate points.

In the spring in Alaska, everyone points out the signs of spring to everyone else, ad-nauseum, and no one minds. "Look-there are some green leaves! Look a bit of green grass!"

Sighting the first green grass that either of us had seen, my daughter ran joyously toward it and, falling ot her knees, ran her hands ecstatically over the soft green blades. "I touched it first, Mama! I touched green grass before you!"

p.s. the pretty green leaves aren't my pic, they are from walcoo.net since I haven't had time to take many pics lately:(