February 2 is much more than Groundhog Day. It is the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Groundhog Day itself is derived from the religious feast of Candlemas and has roots going back way further. In a time when your life depended upon the natural rhythm of the seasons, it was extremely important to be aware of the coming changes and to note critical milestones with special celebrations. (Halloween shares the same distinction as it is the midpoint between the Fall Equinox and the Winter Solstice.)
The Rio Grande Bosque (cottonwood forest) is a great place to walk anytime of the year. There is always something special to see and no better place to observe the change and cycle of seasons. The bosque is featured in Hikes 4, 11, and 13 of the just released 3rd Edition of 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Albuquerque.
As you enter the bosque, if you’re fortunate, you might see a flock of sandhill cranes flying overhead. The cranes begin heading north from their Winter feeding grounds in the central Rio Grande valley of New Mexico right around Groundhog Day and will continue to do so until the last stragglers leave in early March.
If you look toward the ground, there is a good chance that you’ll see new growth starting to sprout. And if you cast your gaze toward the trees, you might notice a tinge of life in the branches as the trees slowly wake up from their dormancy and start pumping nutrients to their far branches. The branches will soon have buds and blossoms to start a new cycle of seasons.
As you can see new growth is popping up everywhere.
