One of my favorite things about living in Minnesota is the weather. Today, it’s cloudy and 51. Tomorrow will be sunny and 75 — or so we’ve been promised. Two weekends ago, it was in the 40s. And last week we almost hit 100.

This time of year, it’s not at all implausible to wear sandals one day and a parka the next. It makes for some interesting tan lines.

Still, I love spring. When the pips emerge and the trees start to bud, I feel like I’m witnessing a miracle. I have no idea how any living thing can survive our winters. Maybe the squirrels have tiny furnaces in their trees.

One of my favorite spring rituals is the annual morel hunt. This year, my friend Pam and I stalked the wily fungi in Frontenac, near Lake Pepin. But we didn’t spot a single shroom. I swear those things retract into the ground when they see me coming.

Well, no mind. We had a great day anyway. We ate our weight in granola, talked for hours, and got happily lost in the woods. All while wearing goofy hats that clearly identified us as “newbs.”

Here’s Pam, hot on the trail of an elusive morel:

Thanks for a great day, Pam.