During the second week of April 2019, Minnesota had a multi-day snowstorm that included sleet, hail, and thunder and hampered and hindered extensive areas. Schools closed, the MSP international airport grounded planes and then eventually opened one runway, and I was annoyed. A crazy part of my brain claimed I had jinxed the situation because this week I received my renewed MN state park pass in the mail.
The April before a blizzard shut down Minneapolis/St. Paul. I’m uncertain if it was my third or fourth blizzard of the 2017-2018 winter. I recall feeling penned in and squirrely. I searched the Internet for flights to southern states. If I found a deal, it fit my timeframe, and the airport was operational, I was filling a backpack and going. Sadly, there were no deals on last-ditch fares.
*5th Annual Newport Beach Sandcastle Contest & Halong Bay, Vietnam
To alleviate my cabin fever, I perused my vacation pictures of summery days; included were California beaches, kayaking in Halong Bay, Vietnam, and the Superior Hiking Trail in the Northwoods. The pursuit gave me no relief. Next, I tried a visualization meditation of me walking and hiking in warm weather and short-sleeved shirts. The hiking did remind me that I needed an annual state park pass for the summer.
*Superior Hiking Trail (Minnesota’s Northwoods)
With nowhere to go, I clicked my way to the MN Department of Natural Resources website to purchase an annual pass. The calendar and the weather deemed it too early, but I didn’t care. I wanted to gallivant in state parks as I do now. I know the latest snow will melt and I’ll get to play outside but if I could ask Mother Nature to reschedule April snowstorms for March--I would.