Nine years in, March and April continue to be the hardest time of year for me in New England. Winter and Spring are constant odds and I am pulled from one side to the other day after day after day. This year, I wondered if taking notice would shift my mood and gently nudge me into a better mood. I wondered if paying attention to the ways nature is waking up would allow me to wake up to the goodness all around me. I wondered if I would start to see the beauty of Spring - even in the midst of the cold and windy days. Here’s what I found:
Saturday, March 1: A sudden burst of 50-degree weather melted the neighborhood snow people. I tried to get a picture, but how do you get a picture of snow once it’s all gone?
Sunday, March 2: Spinach sprouted from last year’s plant, which bolted before it could be harvested. A reminder that even if things get out of hand and have to be let go, new life can spring up after time.
Monday, March 3: Autumn and I went on a walk in search of Spring and found a seagull doing the same thing.
Tuesday, March 4: After lying dormant all winter, the mint plant has new leaves! It’s almost time for mint tea and mojitos!
Friday, March 7: The lilac is showing off its earliest buds. The memory of its perfume brings a smile. The sun shines, but the wind forces me to go inside.
Friday, March 14: We returned from a week of skiing in the mountains of Maine to find the tulip greens beginning to pop through the soil.
Saturday, March 15: Snowdrops appeared! I had no idea we had these - we’ve been on the lookout for them since we first read about them years ago. How did they miraculously show up in our yard this year?
Monday, March 17: En route to the chiropractor, we saw the swan out. It really must be Spring now!
Tuesday, March 18: I usually don’t notice signs of Spring until the first crocus appears. This year, it’s one of the last things I see.
Saturday, March 22: The first day warm enough to sit outside with a book, a cup of tea, and my favorite dog friend.
Today: If a bed full of crocus and weeds don’t scream Spring is here, I don’t know what does.
Taking notice of all the tiny signs that spring is on its way... altogether necessary in late March/early April! (Hard months for me too!)
Want a beautiful practice! Here’s to trusting in the power of spring and seeing it around us.