April Springs to Life

By Renée Bergstrom, John Gaddo, John Weiss and Craig Johnson, April 14, 2025

Siberian Squill sneaks up among the first ephemeral blossoms each spring. Often found in wooded areas, this naturalized non-native plant can rapidly spread and become invasive – but it's colorful nonetheless! (Photo by Renee Bergstrom)

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Prescribed burns across southeast Minnesota clear the way for the return of native plants each spring. Here, a crew wraps up a mid-April MnDOT burn of roadside vegetation along Highway 52 east of Canton in Fillmore County. (Photo by John Gaddo)

A typical scene from April’s 2025 Trout Fishing opener as enthusiastic anglers spread out along Mill Creek in Chatfield. (Photo by John Weiss)

“Batter up!” Rushford-Peterson versus Winona Cotter high school baseball is in full swing. (Photo by Craig Johnson)

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Contributors

Renée Bergstrom

Renée Bergstrom is a photographer, weaver and painter whose artwork is available at Lanesboro Arts. Renée loves to dig in the dirt so you may see her in her garden along the Root River Trail. She is currently a Public Voices Fellow on Advancing the Rights of Women and Girls with the OpEd Project and Equality Now. The cohort of twenty women is publishing thought provoking articles.

John Gaddo

John Gaddo is co-publisher of Root River Current. His professional career has included stints as a public media manager, journalist and audio producer.

John Weiss

John Weiss was a full-time reporter for the Rochester Post-Bulletin for 41 years and wrote the Back Roads column for more than 10 years. His passions include hunting, fishing, birding, nature photography, hiking and just kicking around.

Craig Johnson

When not otherwise drumming with area musicians or assisting customers at Rushford’s Ace Hardware, Craig Johnson’s photographer’s eye focuses on the region’s picturesque scenery and its sports teams. Look for his work in a variety of regional publications.