One thing I've been fascinated to learn about the weather and actually see take place, is the way changes in weather are the results of complex relationships. When I installed my weather station I began seeing how everything related together. For example a sunny day that turns cloudy is often times accompanied by changes in temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind direction and intensity, all occurring simultaneously. People tend to notice when the sky gets cloudy and little else—but what's really happening is the sea of air we live within has flowed over us like a current of water, bringing a completely new air mass in to replace it. And boy are we oblivious to air pressure! Right now where you sit or stand the column of air above you that is one foot on a side, weighs about 2,116 lb., at sea level. You literally have one ton of air pressing down upon your body right now. And you thought you couldn't lift much weight!

So—back to weather. Spring is officially here. And the proof is in the Skunk Cabbage! Peter Curtis and Allison Snow sent me a photo of this plant erupting from the chilly soil somewhere below the Northview property. Peter says: "Skunk cabbage is just about the first native flowering plant to reveal its bloom in the Spring. Its specialized flower is exothermic and can even melt snow! Beetles congregate inside the flowering structure to mate and, incidentally, pollinate the flowers while they're at it."

Tags: Skunk cabbage