Author: Phyllis Root
Photographer: Kelly Povo
It’s been several weeks since we found emerging skunk cabbage down along the Minnehaha falls trail on May 25. Since then, we’ve had snow, warming, more snow, cold, and a brief moment when the weather actually felt like spring. After a day of warmth that melted much (but not all) of the snow cover, we had planned an outing to our favorite snow trillium and pasque flower sites on Saturday. Then Thursday’s news promised us that “a big, ugly, and unpredictable storm is about to hammer much of Minnesota” with snow, rain, and ice.
But surely the skunk cabbage, already up and melting the snow around it, would be further along that when we’d seen them a few weeks ago. Surely a few more brave early bloomers would be joining them. Eager for some wildflower searching, on Thursday before the storm we headed back to Minnehaha Falls boardwalk.
The skunk cabbages hadn’t retreated into the ground, but neither were they much bigger than before, and a few looked decidedly frost-nipped. Other spring flowers must have still been wisely waiting underground, because we saw not so much as a marsh marigold leaf.
Many years ago my junior high home economics teacher, upon hearing me mutter darkly as I struggled with a pink polished cotton box-pleated skirt that was way beyond my sewing abilities, remarked in her soft southern voice, “Remember, class, the good book says that patience is a virtue.” Fifty plus years later, it’s a virtue that still eludes me, especially when I’m hungry for the first native flowers of spring.
We assured ourselves that there were definitely more skunk cabbage emerging than we’d seen last time. We reminded ourselves that every year we go looking earlier than common sense would suggest. We congratulated ourselves that at least this year we didn’t drive four hours north to be surprised by persistent winter but did so close to home.
Still.
Isn’t it about time, Spring? We’re really, really ready to welcome you.
