Astronomical spring is, of course, the three month period from March 20/21 to June 20/21. But meteorological/biological spring can greatly differ from astronomical spring. I like to tell folks that typically spring begins in western Washington the third week in February (let's say Feb. 25th) and ends in mid-July (local meteorologists like to use July 13th).
I love celebrating the summer solstice, but as a Seattle native, it always felt like summer reliably started right after the fourth of July. Here are some highlights to say farewell to the longest spring and hello to summer—whenever it may start for you.
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| Razor clamming on the Washington coast |
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| Sailing in Puget Sound |
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| Sunset at Carkeek Park |
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| Nephew at Easter |
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| Hanging out in the ghost town of Terlingua, Texas |
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| Road trip to Big Bend National Park, Texas |
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| Hiking with Mom and nieces |
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| Camping and climbing in the Tieton River Valley |
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| Climbing columnar basalt for my first time |
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| View above Lake Crescent, Olympic Peninsula |
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| Hiking up the middle fork of the Snoqualmie River for a bachelorette party at a hot spring |
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| Holding my newest niece a few hours after watching her be born |
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| Attending a dear friend's wedding in Texas in the midst of spring thunderstorms and flooding |
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| River swimming outside Austin |
