Look at these beautiful spring flowers:

They’re Missouri violets (a.k.a. banded violets; Viola missouriensis).  Pretty, eh?

Seen just this week and captured as they unfurled their majestic petals early in the morning, they stand as testament to a spring underway, a season of warming temperatures and prolific growth, of migrations and matings, of rainbows erupting from the ground and life burgeoning from a russet earthen vase.

But unfortunately these flowers will not survive the weekend.  Why?  Winter has decided the first day of spring is a good day for one last dance.  We’re expecting snow this afternoon through tomorrow morning.  Temperatures have dropped ten degrees in the last three hours.  And a cold rain has been falling since long before sunrise.

I had grandiose plans this weekend: plans for walks at the park, plans to enjoy life at the lake, plans to satiate my ever present desire to witness nature’s bounty.  Instead, I’m wrapped in a sweater sitting inside watching spring, interrupted.

As convenience would have it, this is only a weekend storm.  By Monday we’re back to 70°F/21°C with plenty of sunshine.  Typical…

So instead of wandering the great outdoors and getting my fill of spring in the wild, I will enjoy some virtual walks in nature.  Luckily there’s a buffet of carnivals overflowing with wonders to explore.

Friday Ark #287: Steve once again scours the web in search of creature comforts.  You can expect travelers to climb aboard throughout the weekend, so check often for the latest updates because there’s always plenty to enjoy in this weekly carnival.

House of Herps #4 – St. Patrick’s Edition: John shows St. Patrick’s Day isn’t just about drinking green beer and pinching those who forgot to wear the holiday color.  In fact, he celebrates amphibians and reptiles by delving into the herpetological history of St. Patrick—even going so far as to explain why there are no snakes in Ireland, something for which mythology credits St. Patrick himself.

An Inordinate Fondness #2: Since she inadvertently scheduled herself to host two carnivals on the same day, Amber handed the blog reins to her friend, AJ, who put together a musical edition of the carnival devoted to beetles.  Though in this case it all starts with The Beatles.  You don’t want to miss this delightfully clever presentation replete with music and humor, not to mention a lot of beetle goodness.  Oh, and I’m thinking AJ has won a following with this.

I and the Bird #121: While AJ handled both The Beatles and the beetles, Amber flew through a boundless migration of birds kicked off with the always delectable wit of Monty Python.  Once you finish pondering if a migrating swallow can carry a coconut, stick around to enjoy a rich collection of birds from all around the world.  This is one avian celebration you don’t want to miss.