Springtime was in full bloom when we left Florida but in the Colorado Rockies, fresh snow capped the mountain peaks. As we started our journey northwest, skeletal trees that had looked dead in February were sparkling with brilliant green leaves. Robins, the harbingers of spring, cast aside any doubt that the seasons were in full transition.

Our first sightseeing destination was New River Gorge National Park & Preserve in West Virginia.  Thick forests of deciduous trees covered the slopes in various shades of green. The New River roared below as it flowed north. Tiny birds burst into joyous songs and a gentle breeze stirred the air. Except for those natural sounds, only an occasional car, plane or passerby interrupted the quiet.

The ambiance was far different in the 19th and 20th centuries when the gorge vibrated and growled with coal mining activity and trains. The slopes, now lush with trees, were bald, their timber stripped for buildings and mine shafts. And the air was thick with smoke and coal dust.

We explored the park by driving winding mountain roads past small historic towns to mountaintop and riverside viewpoints. Clear water cascaded over Sandstone Falls, stirring a refreshing breeze. At Horseshoe Viewpoint, we admired the “longest single span arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere,” which stretched across the gorge from mountaintop to mountaintop.   

As we resumed our journey northwest, we chose a scenic drive along the river. Empress trees laden with purple blossoms accented the rolling mountain slopes, and vibrant forests displayed countless shades of green. To our delight, we happened upon the tumbling waters of Cathedral Falls where we inhaled the cool, refreshing air whirling around it. 

Through the Ohio River Valley and into the plains, redbud trees were bursting with blossoms seemingly everywhere. On some farmlands, rich, black soil was being tilled and seeded for summer crops. On others, the fields were already turning radiant green with young plants. 

Cattle grazed on ranchlands. Young calves nursed, romped and napped, warming my heart each time I spotted them. Clouds tickled our imaginations as we sighted bears and angels and leaping dolphins. 

Wind turbines rotated their huge blades. Farmhouses and yards were kept up “as neat as a pin.” In the ranchlands, blooms beautified long rows of bushes, planted as natural fences to hold back the blowing snows of winter.

Even in the Badlands, whose stark, rocky landscape has been sculpted by winds into mounds, canyons and deep crevices, springtime was awakening. Its most precious evidence was the sight of a bighorn ewe with her tiny lamb resting atop a lofty shelf.

Green prairie grasses beautified the ranchlands of Nebraska and Colorado where cattle, horses and pronghorns roamed. At our destination, spring was in full bloom with tulips, irises, lilacs and other flowers galore. 

From Florida to Colorado, we had the joy of seeing this season of beginnings, growth and beauty unfold in countless colors, textures, shapes and patterns. We witnessed spring in all its radiant glory.