Living in Wisconsin is an experience. It seems that beautiful days filled with sunshine and warmth are the exceptions and seldom the rule. Coming out of the Winter season is absolutely exhausting for us because we are truly done with cold, wet, grey days. Truly…. That particular look extends from November through mid April, it seems, and it wears the spirit down and the morale of us who endure seldom seem to rise above a certain level.

Some of us share our late Spring snow photos on Facebook because we want to share our misery. I have to hear the unending calls from my sons telling me how the sun is shining where they are and everything is blooming while I sit under my comforter and sip my hot coffee, while gazing out the window at yet another cold, grey Wisconsin day.

But this weekend changed it up. For most of you reading this, it is no big deal. Just a beautiful weekend to enjoy. Some of you might even ask, “Is this worthy of a blog?” Well, for those of us emerging out of a long, and I do mean long, Wisconsin winter, this weekend was over the top, magnificent, gorgeous, and long, long overdue, while eagerly much anticipated.

It is that one weekend that marks the season of hope, the season of change and the season of what is to come. Most of us jammed as many outdoor activities into it as possible. And everywhere we went, weather was the topic of the conversation.

I raked flower beds, hauled leaves and branches to the dump, pulled my outdoor patio furniture out of the garage, changed out the battery on my riding mower, sat in the sun and read, fired up the barbecue grill and just sat on the patio enjoying the evening pleasure of being outside. And this was only Saturday!!!

But more than anything else, my spirits soared, my attitude was engaging and my disposition was just downright positive. Mentally, that is such a good place to be.

But….and there is always a but, living in Wisconsin, we also know this could be just a reprieve, a break in the monotony, a lull in the norm. Because Winter seldom lets go of its grip easily. I will not put my screen in the front door. I will not buy plants to set out yet. I will not assume next weekend will be the same kind of warmth as this past weekend. Nor will I assume from here on out, I will be doing patio dining. We have been known to have snow as late as May. We certainly have worn sweatshirts as late as June. Those are givens that we experience living in Wisconsin.

So for now, I will accept this weekend as a gift, to be treasured and enjoyed. Because Spring, as far as I am concerned, it is on! I am going to enjoy it whenever I get it! …. Every warm breeze, every sunny day, and every blossom that sprouts! And I am going to thank my Almighty God for the privilege of not taking it for granted. And for seeing the beauty and the work of His mighty hands everywhere.