In Maine there have always been four seasons – fall, winter, mud season and summer. While the cherry blossoms bloom in our nation’s capital and the trees are budding in Central Park, here in Maine we’re usually getting a late snowstorm or trudging through ankle deep mud on our way to just about anywhere. Why do you think LL Bean got their start and is known for rubber soled boots? Spring was something you read about or saw in the movies, and proved to be a rather elusive guest in Maine.

This is about right for mud season in Maine. My boots are black with yellow umbrellas on them. Great shot from the blog, My Life as a Maine Innkeeper.

Then once the snow ceases, it’s cold and rainy (think the northwest winter) until summer hits, usually sometime in late June, when it’s suddenly 75-80 degrees with low humidity and sunny skies pretty much right through ’till fall.

But in the past several years, Spring has sprung in Maine. We had an 80 degree day a few weeks ago and it was in the mid 60’s every day this week. I haven’t seen any snow since I went skiing (more like water skiing) at Sugarloaf about a month ago when it was so warm we were sunbathing in t-shirts. Not a stellar end to the season for the ski areas, who’ve mostly closed up for the season, weeks ahead of schedule.

Fiddleheads coming up early outside my garage. Look for these on menus throughout Maine.

So it’s not even May and the grass is green, trees are in bloom, birds are chirping and even my cat is shedding. And this morning I noticed the fiddleheads are coming up along my garage. If you haven’t had this Maine delicacy, you must try it! You pick the young ferns before they’ve unfurled and pan fry them with a little olive oil and garlic. YUM!!

Anyway, if this climate change thing continues Maine may be the new Maryland or Virgina, with our mild winters, REAL spring season and already famous summers. The tourists are already catching on and the summer people (people who live in warmer climates in the winter and flock to their lakeside or seaside homes in Maine during the summer) are driving up early.

Welcome Spring, hope you like Maine and stay awhile.