With winter officially over, we"re weeping for joy right alongside this willow tree, its wispy new boughs signaling a healthy year of growth to come. About 400 species of willow grow across the globe in water-rich, seasonally chilly spots like here in Minnesota. With some willows soaring up to 70 feet tall and wide, cultures around the world have bestowed deep symbolism on the formidable trees, associating them with refuge, wisdom, or plenty—if not with ghosts, demons, or the spirit world. One thing all traditions can agree on: When a willow sprouts bright green wisps like this, it"s a welcome symbol of spring"s arrival.
A willowy welcome to spring
Today in History
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An ice cap-puccino
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Al-Khazneh in Petra, Jordan
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Merry and bright
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It’s surströmming time
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A hint of spring
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Giant kelp in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
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Tree of many colors
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Modica, Sicily, Italy
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Aqueduct, Arkadia Park, Poland
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A timeless view of the night sky
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The monsoon arrives in the desert
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It’s Endangered Species Day
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Adorable activism
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Native American Heritage Month
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Darwin Day
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Bryce Canyon National Park turns 100
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Happy Independence Day!
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Party like it’s 5779
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Sky island views
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A gorge-ous mill in the Causses
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Brotherly cubs
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Cold? What cold?
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Taughannock Falls State Park
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Earth seen from the International Space Station
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Dark Sky Week
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Star Wars Day
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In Texas, even the riverbend is big
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Ringing in the new year at Teotihuacan
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Northern hawk-owl
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Presidents Day