Every year I write a celebratory blog post about the turning of the season and the awesomeness that is the season of Spring! Today is that day. Technically, that day should have been 2 days ago but I ended up getting side tracked and never sat down and wrote the blog that was meant to be executed with copious amounts of love and devotion to the warmth and coziness of Spring. Well, better late than never right?
RIGHT!
The first official day of Spring was well over a week ago, but just because the calendar says it's the first day, that doesn't mean it's the first day on our hearts. Some places will get a heaps of snow well into April and sometimes even May, so the feeling of the change of seasons takes a while (like in 2007 when I succumbed to the notion that it would never stop snowing and we were going to completely bypass Summer that year). Other places will not have any snow for months and tiny flowers will begin to pop up with hope of Spring, but that still doesn't make it official yet. The stores can bring in the pastel coloured clothes, flimsy sandals and breezy skirts and tanks, but until that one day comes, that one day that will be different for each of us, those items are only part of a fantasy that has yet to come true.
Every year there is a day that we go outside and the air feels warmer and smells sweeter than the day before. It's the first day we unzip our coats and let them hang in the hall closet while we go outside wearing just a t-shirt and a smile. (Oh, and something on the lower half too.) The birds are chirping, the kids are running around or chasing each other on their bikes and new moms are out walking with their babies in strollers. Lawn movers are being revved up, rakes are being used with earnest, sheds are being repaired and the shiny muscle cars come out of the garage for the season.
It's the day we take notice of all of these happening around us, all at once.
I love Spring. As I mentioned above, my first day of Spring was 2 days ago when I went for a run/jog/pant/stumble and had to remove my light running jacket only about 10 minutes into the run and got to enjoy the trek wearing just running pants and a tank top. Not once did I feel the threat of coldness and the sun felt great on my exposed shoulders. Sure a few people were blinded in the process as the sun reflected off of my glaringly white skin into their unsuspecting eyes, but that's the harsh reality of living in an area of the world that doesn't brown the skin all year round.
As I went along the Galloping Goose, I heard the people in their yards doing yard work, cleaning their decks, moving their lawns and hanging out their clean laundry. I passed couples walking hand-in-hand along the trail and, people out walking their dogs and families cutting across the path to get to the nearest park. I even saw 2 bunnies!
However, the big defining moment of Spring for me was when a bug got caught on my sweaty neck and I killed it with a hard smack of the hand. Sounds ridiculous and gross, I know, but think about it. Sweaty necks and bugs are not really associated with Winter, so when the 2 of them meet on a warm day in March, that can only mean that Spring has sprung! I looked at that squashed bug and smiled. Spring is here!!!
Our first day of spring was about a week ago. We worked outside in the yard and I got a tan line! Okay, it's a faint hint. But it's there!!!
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