“Spring arrives in the high country differently than in other places. Where the land has a strong vertical dimension, the change of seasons is bound to elevation, not distance from the equator. Shades of green swirl up the flanks of mountains as the snow recedes, making the end of winter a complex topographical dance. It’s possible to take in the scope of multiple seasons in a single glance: stark black rock laced with winter ice on a mountaintop, looming over new growth shimmering like bottle glass in the valleys below.
“I’ve lived within sight of Colorado’s mountains all my life, so my experience with winter’s passing is exclusively alpine. I’m conditioned to the idea that spring unfolds cautiously, that it is not a sudden onrush of new foliage and floral outbursts, as I imagine it to be in milder climates. Around here, it takes a while for the planet’s slow tipping toward the sun to thaw the ground enough to unleash botanical exuberance, and sudden snowstorms may arrive most any time, setting my heart back to February. Eventually, though, the flake of white drifting in the air is not snow but a small butterfly or moth.”
~The opening paragraphs of “First Signs,”
in Between Urban and Wild: Reflections from Colorado
One of those snowstorms descended overnight here in central Colorado, a week after the official start of spring. It will be a brief reset to winter–the few inches that fell are melting fast. Still, the snow seemed like a good excuse to share a few lines from one of the essays in my collection, Between Urban and Wild: Reflections from Colorado.
I though sharing those lines would be a good way of letting you you know that the book is currently on sale–so, if you’re been thinking about buying a copy for yourself or to give as a gift (Earth Day is coming soon!), now’s a good time.
You’ll you save $7.50 off the cover price if you buy directly from the University of Iowa Press by April 1, 2018.
The sale price only applies to the paperback version (the ebook is available from UIP, but is not currently on sale). Click this link to go to the book’s page, select the “ADD TO CART” button, then process your order from there. Remember to insert the promo code (IPP18) after you specify how many copies you want to order.
If you’d like more information about the essay collection, please visit The Book page on this site. If you’re interested in interviews and reviews, you’ll find links if you scroll down below the bio info on the About Andrea page.
Thanks, happy spring, and happy reading!
When I read these lines, I thought they sounded familiar, Andrea. I enjoyed them as much this time as when I first read them in your book last year!
Best,
Tanja
Even in our winter without snow, Tanja, the topographical dance goes on. Thank you for your kind words.
Lovely and so true! Thank you for your thoughts. With Green Thoughts, Tammi
Thank you, Tammi. It’s the time of year when things are very dynamic. Some snow lingers at our place this morning, but I will visit spring when I go to Canon City later today. With green thoughts, indeed.