Just to confirm spring’s arrival, my five-going-on-six-year-old grandson coaxed me out to the backyard for the first game of catch. His arm is stronger this year, which keeps his grandpa on his not-so-nimble toes. And the bicycles have emerged from storage in time for our first bike ride. The Driftless terrain provides both challenging hills for the serious rider and easier stretches down in the valley for the rest of us.The hillside above our house has already exploded in a fluorescent green optimism. As I write this, five deer are browsing on the new growth, and looking very appreciative of the season’s early arrival of dinner. Wildflowers have joined the celebration, sprinkling the hillside with lavender seasoning just for good measure.
Aside from mowing the lawn, humans are eager to start celebrating too. Driftless Wisconsin is alive with events to welcome the new season. On April 20-21, Gays Mills will celebrate the 2012 Kickapoo Earth Day at the new Community Center. Friday evening’s performance of “Twenty Seven Birds” will combine bird calls and video with bass clarinet, alto flute, and piano in a memorable tribute to the birds of the Driftless region. Saturday will bring together national speakers, regional performers and presenters, along with workshops and activities that will observe the “collaboration of citizens up and down the valley who care about the natural world.”
On Saturday, April 21, Prairie du Chien Downtown Revitalization will present, “Girls Day Out,” a day in the Downtown “for you and you alone.” The day includes activities that will pamper your senses and indulge your creative side, such as hand massages, planting an herb garden, wood working, design wars, pillowcase making, window screen painting, cake decorating, poker run, live entertainment, and free wine tasting. Just the kind of day that welcomes spring with your favorite pleasures.
Driftless Wisconsin is filled with activities and events that welcome the season, not to mention the parks, rivers, nature hikes, and overlooks that put spring into perspective. Check out our event calendar for the dates you plan on being in the area. It’s never too early to answer the bell and wake up to spring in Driftless Wisconsin.
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