Signs of Spring

The last couple of days have been full of warm sunshine...if you were inside a house. Outside, a sharp, cold wind made it very unpleasant.

Stepping out of the warm newspaper office at lunchtime today, the cold air was like a bucket of cold water being splashed on our faces. Wakey, wakey!

But I can't go two days without a walk with my dogs so after supper tonight, dressed in snow pants and full-coverage toque, I set out for a quick trip to the beaver brook and back.

That's where it was: the first sign of spring.

It was the sound that stopped me. The sound of water. 

Under the grey thinning ice, between a white canyon of rotting snow, water was running.

Loveliest sound. 

And all of a sudden, it wasn't so cold. All of a sudden, it was still light at 6:45 pm.

This first sign of spring invigorated me so much, we didn't make it a quick walk to the beaver brook and back. Instead, we took the long way home, across the field and along the plantation.

As we passed under the osprey nest at the edge of our yard, I saw the second sign of spring: The tiniest hint of pussy willows. Amazing! How are they wanting to bud already? 

The fooling power of sunshine. 

Spring is coming. You have my word on it. No matter what weather comes in the next few weeks, no matter if it snows again, spring is on the way. I've seen the signs. 

Stay calm. Keep it together. 

Remember: Hope springs.