Yesterday

…was pretty mild. It reached 50 deg F, and though it was cloudy, and though the trees are still bare, there was an intangible, almost undetectable hint of spring in the air. Some combination of smells and sounds and the angle of the sun that uniquely indicate that a warming is underway.

I boldly told my wife, “I bet we’ll hear peepers tomorrow.” Knowing that it’s all a tease, I added, “They’ll be disappointed in less than a week, though.”

Last night,

…I dreamt of walking in the woods with my boys, who were young children again, maybe 7 or 8 years old. We came upon a vernal pond, and it was full of tadpoles, and they crouched down to look, poking their fingers in the water as the tadpoles wriggled away.

Today,

…it was clear, warm and sunny. The temperature got slightly above 60 deg F. Flocks of robins invaded neighborhood yards and gulped down red berries from the holly trees. Red-bellied woodpeckers called to each other as the investigated last year’s hollows on dead trees in the forest behind the house. Hundreds of Canada geese, in huge formations, flew overhead, northbound, honking in a cacophony of enthusiasm. Then, smaller groups, maybe only fifteen, but just as enthusiastic. Last years bulbs are starting to poke greenery up above the ground, through the mulch. And sure enough, in the evening, the whine of spring peepers fills the woods from unseen ponds and marshes. (Curiously, the open pond that is NOT sheltered in the woods is still silent).

Next week

…it will snow again. Despite all the signs, this is a false spring. In this area, I’ve learned not to put winter behind me until at least the third week of March. It’s all a tease.

But though I realize winter hasn’t given up its grip, it’s undeniable that change is in the air. Days are lengthening, snow is melting, and dormant nature is waking up. Time to start making plans.

Get Out There