Yes, it's spring. Now put some clothes on.

In the Midwest, there's a well-known phenomenon that I will never understand. Upon the first signs of spring (by which I mean the first day that the sun shines without a biting wind and the temperature stays above 52 degrees for all daylight hours), people in the Midwest put on shorts. They wear flippy sandals and strappy tanks. They eschew not just jackets, but even lightweight, springy cardigans. And I stare at them, confused, thinking, "Honey, it's April."

Don't get me wrong. I am fully familiar with the instant pick-me-up that natural light and warmth provides after months of rushing from heated building to heated building before your notrils freeze shut. And I know that there are days in late winter when I stare into my closet and realize I'd rather wear my pajamas to work than put on one of the same eight sweaters I've had in rotation the past six months. Pulling out the summer clothes can inject a welcome dose of variety that's almost as exciting as a brand-new wardrobe.

But still. It's April. And early April in Minnesota is no time for halter tops and capris.

Here's what I don't understand. From late October to March, we're cold. All the time. Sure, some days are more temperate than others and you can be entirely comfortable provided you're wearing a proper coat and a cozy scarf. But when night falls and I'm outside, my teeth are almost always chattering. No amount of extra clothing can remedy it. On the worst days of summer, it's the opposite problem. At a crowded outdoor event on a bright and humid day, even the lightest, airiest outfit can't keep you cool.

That is the beauty of spring in Minnesota. For a brief window of time, you can wear 3/4-sleeved shirts and jeans and feel you're surrounded by a protective bubble of temperature-controlled comfort. You're not too hot; you're not too cold. You start to remember why you live here in the first place. But go and rush things--break out the full-on summer stuff before it's time--and it's back to the teeth chattering again. Put on a strappy tank in April and suddenly you're just as cold as you were six weeks ago in your winter coat. I don't get it.

So yes, I'm enjoying the lovely spring sunshine and the return of green to the trees and grass. Yes I'll happily put away my gloves and scarf and expose the skin below my neck to daylight again. But I'm bringing a sweater, because it's just good sense.