20060526 Buds Bursting

Winter had been holding on tightly here in southwest Alaska. Up until four days ago dripping cold gripped this place most days. Suddenly, Spring supplants Winter. Temperatures have soared into the 70s and the green-up has begun.

Buds that have been waiting since perhaps September have burst and with 20 hours or so of daily sunlight are rapidly developing into leaves.

Brooks Camp Interpretive Rangers-in-the-making have been waiting through three weeks of training and, like the buds are ready to burst. Next week we don the gray and green of the National Park Service or the khaki of a volunteer. Our intense experiences with bears and the visiting public over the coming weeks will mature us into seasoned rangers. With luck we will not wilt before fall.