Winter, Winter, Go Away?

Although we've had a few days when the sun has been warm on one's face, it's still decidedly winter. Spring is just around the corner, calendarly speaking. The vernal equinox is in less than a week!? Even the garden trusts that the cold will eventually be turned back. I've got a carpet of violets in the brick warmed corners of the front garden and all manner of green bulb shoots are peeking up out of their quilts of leafy mulch. One particularly anxious daffy is starting to look a bit yellow on the very top. Of course that only reminds me that 95% of our winters, there's always one more deep snowfall that covers the daffodils once they all decide to bloom. Sigh.

All I know is I don't feel spring coming yet. I'm still juggling mittens, gloves, scarves, and hats from jacket pocket to jacket pocket, assorted boots are lined up in the front of my closet, two or three layers are a must. The days are gray and the nights are deep and blustery and below freezing. I haven't felt spring "in the air" yet. I haven't smelled spring yet.



Somehow it feels like it hinges a wee bit on me being ready for it. I know once spring arrives, the number of things I want to split my time doing multiplies exponentially. It'll finally be warm enough to tackle cleaning in the garage. The clothes line will go back up again. The garden will need tending and planting. It will be warm enough to paint things I've been meaning to paint. Plus everything I want to do year round. My spirit craves spring's arrival but another part of me knows I'll feel the stress of the added desires once it arrives. Do I need to say YES to spring, embrace the fear of new growth, for the season to change?

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