A Last Look at Winter Before Leaping into Spring

Happy Leap Day! I am excited to see February end, and the first month of spring begin tomorrow! I love the anticipation that comes with my favorite seasons of spring and summer stretching before me, with winter in the rearview mirror. Even though we had an extra day of winter this year, it flew by since I’ve been so focused on a project at work that’s kept me stuck indoors anyway. March can be a tricky and cold month here in central Indiana, but it always bestows us with at least a sprinkling of beautiful days. Tomorrow’s weather forecast promises March will come in like a lamb this year. The temperature dipped to 17 degrees last night, but is supposed to soar to 57 and sunny tomorrow. Last weekend spring was in the air too, before a cold work week of rain and snow arrived to remind me the groundhog is an unreliable weather forecaster. Today I’m sharing some photos I took on Wednesday when this latest blast of snow rolled in. I’ve been working crazy hours, so it was especially nice to get out in nature and away from people for a few beautiful moments of stillness in the snow. One of my favorite things about a winter’s walk is the feeling that you have the whole world to yourself, even in the middle of a bustling city.

I live near a charming little park called Heritage Park at White River, that is home to the Ambassador House, a historic home dating back to 1826 that was enlarged and redesigned into its current structure from 1895 to 1899. The home was restored in 2009 and is now used for special events and weddings. The house’s name honors its most well known resident, Addison Clay Harris, the US ambassador to Austria and Hungary who lived here beginning in 1880. I used to live within walking distance of the park and it was a popular place for me to do short training runs. From my door to the park and back, including two loops around the trail, was an easy 3 mile route.

I find the detached stone summer kitchen at the back of the Ambassador House particularly charming. Summer kitchens were popular during the 1800s to separate hot kitchen cooking and smells from the rest of the house to keep it as cool as possible. Made of stone, they also reduced the risk of fire to the nearby wood house.

The tree-lined winding drive up to the Ambassador House, park and nature trails is scenic in the snow. Although the park itself is only 33 acres, it feels like you are in the middle of nowhere when you turn into the park entrance.

The White River, which winds across the state of Indiana and can be accessed from many parts of the Indianapolis area including downtown, flows behind the west side of the park.

The south side of the park is bordered by a neighborhood with a scenic little pond area of its own.

Before I headed home, I stopped at Oaklawn Memorial Gardens, a nearby cemetery that includes a pet section in the back called Forever Friends, where my sweet cat Flurry was buried last April. I wanted to visit her grave since I hadn’t been there since Christmas a little two months ago and didn’t get by for Valentine’s Day. I used to run through this cemetery as well, and I’ve been there many times but never in the snow. It was quite peaceful. I think I had whole place to myself. The Ambassador House actually used to sit on 400 acres of land that included this cemetery. The ambassador’s wife, India, bequeathed the home and land to Indiana University when she passed away, and the university sold 195 acres of it to Oaklawn Memorial Gardens for the cemetery.

Are you happy to see winter end? What are you most looking forward to this spring? I can’t wait for flowers, the greening of the landscape, Easter and the Indiana Flower and Patio Show. Spring is garden gnome season!