Signs of spring have been fleeting this year. Although the Canada geese have returned to Minnesota, just two weeks ago a dusting of snow singed the season’s first blooms.

So I wasn’t happy when I heard that we’d be back below freezing tonight. (Even as I type, a violent wind is rattling the windows.)

But tonight, I no longer despair: On my way home this evening, I saw the first truly hopeful sign that spring can’t be far off.

For me, the seasons in Minnesota are all about the light. In the depths of winter, it’s common to drive in darkness on both ends of my workday.

But summer in Minnesota is another story: Dawn begins at 4:30 a.m., and—in June—twilight stretches until almost 10.

There’s a special quality to the light of the evening sky, as the sun begins its long farewell. And tonight I glimpsed it for the first time in months.

I can hardly wait for Esteban’s late-night barbecues, my early-morning walks, and our weekend camping adventures.

It’s been a long, cold, hard winter. But I’m so glad to be here to welcome the first long twilight.