peacock blue

Welcome sunshine in the Twin Cities has produced some lovely skies this week, especially in the early, daylight-savings-time mornings. I captured these contrails blazing in the sun above the plant where Dave works as I was walking along the mighty Mississippi Riverside park. This was the blue-est of blue skies I saw this morning. Our snow is beginning to melt as we've enjoyed a heat wave this week in the 40 to nearly 50 degrees range. I've also seen my first Blue Heron lumbering along the River's edge and heard the call of returning Red Wing Blackbirds this morning. Winter seems to be headed for retirement. And I, in turn, feel the life returning to my old bones.

I found this quote this morning, referring to women's urge to prevent the signs of aging on their face, which seemed to parallel this winter's swan song and the stirrings of a new spring:

'Most of the time, age feels like a mask--something that I wear, not something I am--and when I gaze fondly at the faces of my old friends I can see them as they were when we were young.'

[Judith Thurman/The New Yorker]

More skies to enjoy at Skywatch Friday.