First Day of Spring

Tomorrow is the first day of spring.

We've had such a mild winter! Only two snowstorms, I think. And yesterday it was over 80 degrees! Central New York just doesn't do this.

But I'll take it!

It's going to be a long end of the school year, I fear. Warm weather and long, bright evenings after the Daylight Savings Time switch never bode well for homework and other academic pursuits. Usually the struggle to keep the kids going until the end of school starts in May, though...

My daffodils are budding. The robins have been chirping and busily scouting out nesting sites. The sun shines warm on the asphalt driveway, the road, the grass (which could use a good raking) and the prickly weeds sprouting in our winter-compressed mulch. How does the winter compress mulch when there's hardly any snow?

Yesterday I walked about five miles in an old pair of flip-flops. Now I have a little blister, but I flooded it with a special oil I make from calendula, lavender, tea tree and evening primrose oil. If anything can heal it up, this will.

There is so much sun before the leaves grow.

I love leaves. Leaves are my favorite scenery. When we moved into this house, the very first month we were here, we planted trees outside the windows so I could look out and see them. Oh, how I have enjoyed the birch outside the front living room windows. The maple that shades my west-facing kitchen window has been a lifesaver at dinnertime on many summer evenings.

The leaves are not out yet, but it feels as though they will be soon.

The air feels like coastal North Carolina, warm, kind of humid, fragrant.

There is such a connection the first time in spring when you go for a drive with the windows down and hear everything clear, not muffled by winter protection.

I love the sun. I love longer days. I love leaves and flowers, birdsong and the shouts of happy children outdoors in the afternoons.

We need to get our screens rinsed and replaced on the windows so we can open up to all this glory around us.