Signs of Spring

 March 20 marks the long awaited arrival of spring. It's difficult to not join in the bird-like chorus of those remarking about the long winter we've had or a simple statement of our readiness for warmer days after a long hard winter. I've never come across an individual that pleaded for just a few more frigid days of ice and snow. I don't know about you but after winter passes, I feel a sense of accomplishment. I've survived the freezing temperatures and all that came with it. No slips, no skids or injuries.  My mood and spirits are intact. I'm good. I'm ready for the next season. Warmer weather ? Bring it!

I think about the change of seasons in terms of moments or even accomplishments. I think that this is especially true when it comes to moving from winter to spring.  There are moments in life that mark  accomplishments or the achievement of goals. After a long winter, many of us, especially in the northeast, cheer when the first day of spring appears. My welcoming of spring comes in the smaller moments- the smaller realizations that it is coming. 

Over the past few weeks, I have watched the snow melt and recede, giving way to patches of green and brown. It's difficult not to notice these things. Not that long ago, there was a small skating rink outside the back door that made it impossible to walk without losing my footing. Last week, the ice finally melted. I rejoiced when I could step safely out the door. It's the small things-- truly it is. Small things like the morning air and the smell of it. I swear it's different than the smell of a winter morning. In late winter, early spring, there are earthy sweet aromas (other than the ones in the chicken coops). The air is often brisk but more moist. The faint scent of our resident skunk has returned.

Wild onions and bits of moss seem to magically reappear, reminding me of the fairy gardens of my youth. Plump squirrels seem to be less frenetic as they move about.

No longer weighted down with a fur hooded jacket, mittens and boots on my walks, I felt lighter in my steps and rather than trying to avoid the shock of cold air reaching my lungs, I took long deep breaths.

The promise of warmer weather also means that I can return to simple tasks of using our clothesline more often. I hang clothes out in the winter too, just less frequently. Nothing beats the smell or feeling of sheets freshly dried outdoors.

So, yes, let's celebrate spring-- the mud, the return of green, budding plants and trees, the return of birds and their sweet songs, warmth and all the little wondrous things that come with its arrival.