Yesterday on my walk down Elm Street with my small dog, who had a spring in his step, I admired the beautiful purple and white crocuses coming up on a neighbor’s lawn. I heard the birds in their wonderful cacophony of sound as they flitted from tree to tree, and I saw great numbers of people biking and walking down the streets. Montpelier had come to life overnight. Just a couple of weeks ago, there was snow on the ground and icy cold temperatures that were more reminiscent of deep winter! How quickly the mood has changed, and although spring can be quite temperamental (it may be hailing tomorrow), the endless birdsong and chorus of spring peepers are a reminder that warmer weather is near.
Some of the magical wonders of Vermont, and especially of our region, reveal themselves each spring. Sugar on snow is a fine example of a special tradition Vermonters enjoy each year. As the sap begins to flow, the local sugarhouses serve up the season's first maple syrup on top of ice-cold snow. It quickly freezes and is served alongside hot cocoa, donuts, and a pickle to cut through the sweetness!
One of my favorite springtime activities is foraging for wild food. I grew up looking forward to the annual hunt for wild leeks, Morel mushrooms, fiddleheads and beautiful ephemerals in our woods. In the spring, the Montpelier community comes together to celebrate the first wild harvest at the Capital City Farmers Market. You can try one of the locally foraged spring specialties, like fiddlehead ferns or ramps and savor Vermont's finest meats, cheeses, and produce.
In addition to celebrating our farmers and food here in Vermont, Montpelier has designated a special spring day to celebrate our diverse animal population. Honor the awakening spring with song, dance, and puppet pageantry at the annual All Species Day event. Everyone is invited to come dressed as their favorite species and join in the festivities! Montpelier is known for its community gatherings and events, and All Species Day kicks off the festival season with this family-friendly celebration on the State House lawn.
The arts and culture scene in Montpelier is vibrant year-round, but the spring offers so much to celebrate. Poem City is Montpelier’s ode to National Poetry Month, where hundreds of local writers contribute to decorating the town with words and poetry displays. The community never fails to use fun, artful events as a way to reconnect after a dark winter.
Though I am always disappointed when the ski trails surrounding the city turn to mud, this is a sign that bike season is around the corner. The effort of changing out gear and tuning up bikes is like a rite of passage for any Vermonter. Our downtown bike shop, Onion River Outdoors, hosts the annual Muddy Onion Spring Classic Gravel Grinder to launch the first days of bike season. The 36.9 mile gravel ride covers the beautiful dirt roads of central Vermont, and is a great way to come out of winter hibernation.
I recently walked on the trails at North Branch Nature Center, where my toddler was happy sending sticks down the river and watching them swirl in the water. The community garden had seen some action recently, and tools were out, and the green tips of some bulbs were beginning to come up. We observed Canadian Geese waddling down the path before they took to the sky honking their message of spring. And I even picked up a worm on the path, and held it out for my little one to hold and giggle and throw back onto the warm ground.
This is spring here, tumultuous and dramatic, and full of wonder. It’s as if we forget every year, and are taken by surprise as the sun sets and the evening wood frogs chime in. But, as I step outside at dusk, I smell the smoke from a nearby grill, and hear the voices of children running around without jackets on (even though it’s only 52 degrees out), I remember the hope and serenity a peaceful spring evening can bring.