spring in the palouse

Spring is a season. I just learned this. It's not the few weeks between mud and mosquitos, but it's actually a season. I learned this when I asked my colleague Patty why it has been in the 50s for the past 6 weeks, that is, why hasn't it warmed up? why is it still in the 50s and 60s all the time? Having lived in the Dakotas and in Houghton, Patty looked at me and said, "Kristin, it's SPRING! it's a SEASON! it lasts for 2-3 months." Ahhh, a season you say? Magical.

As evidence of this magical season, note the tulip forest in our overgrown backyard. This tulip forest has been ongoing for a few weeks now.


The normally brown/tan/brown hills around here have become green. It's quite lovely. See?


Last weekend we went mushroom hunting along with the Palouse mushroom folk (I forget the organization name, they're odd but intriguing folk). We were hunting for morel mushrooms, a tasty shroom that only grows for a few months in select places in the US. The UP is one of them, and the woods of northern Idaho is another. So we went into the woods and hunted.

The hunt:


Random scenery:




And our bounty. 3+ hours of hunting for this tiny bounty, divided by 4 people (our friends Eric and Jessica). They tasted delicious w/ cod, potatoes, and a cream sauce. Mmm.



Spring. Tahdah!

Oh, and we closed on the house this morning. We are home owners?!?! Crazy. More on that in the near future....