April … Mud Season … Tain’t Season … Twig Season. Call it what you will, this time of year can be very frustrating for many in the valley. The winter has come to an end, mostly, although the weather now is colder than it was three weeks ago. The snow is gone, and this year it never really came. Sugaring is over; this year the run was roughly half of a normal season.

So what is there to look forward to this time of year? What is there that can add light to the murky skies that often cloud our thinking and our disposition this time of year? Despite what many might say, there is still much that is going on, and some interesting thing are just around the corner.

Mud season also appears to be over. The roads have dried out and are passable just about everywhere. So instead of being up to the axles on a back road, the car or truck will just have the usual coating of dust and grime on it.

All right, that’s not much hope, we realize. But wait, there’s more.

Soon the spring weather will warm. The month of May will bring blossoms, green grass, and hopefully some renewed optimism.

The FEMA long-term recovery plan will be made public soon. So many from around the valley have worked hard on crafting something that will be a document that can truly serve as a road map to steer the valley away from the damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene and toward a renewed optimism for the future.

For those who rely on the tourist economy, the first of two Tough Mudder events is less than a month away. It’s only one weekend, but after the snowless winter the prospects of a busy weekend in a traditionally slow period should be welcome relief. After that, Memorial Day, which is the traditional start of the summer season, is just around the corner.

It can be hard to get excited about what’s ahead. But really, April is just a transition month to bridge winter into late spring and summer. If there’s something we need more than anything right now, it’s transition.