I just downed some Tylenol, noted the appearance of three new
bruises and multiples scratches on my appendages gathered from working in the
yard, checked the rising temperature, and enjoyed the music of a choir of
birds. It’s spring and this a good time
to be alive.
For most of April I hope that snow
will not be in the forecast except in higher terrains and that unpaved roads
will dry out and be graded. And when
that comes to pass, then winter is truly over in Vermont. It’s time to welcome spring with all of our
senses.
Sight –Daily, hourly the land becomes
greener and early flowers are bursting forth to gladden hearts. People are outside raking, weeding, planting,
walking, jogging, biking, talking, laughing.
Pale, sun-starved legs and feet appear even while the upper half is
covered with layers to be discarded through the day. Yesterday, Trinity, 2 ½, saw her first
dandelion of the season. She picked it
and ran to show Paacha. “My lion! Isn’t it pretty?” she cried. Even though a dandelion is technically a
weed, the first ones are a thing of beauty even when you are over two.
Sound – Chain saws burr as dead trees
are removed. Snatches of music are heard
from the opened windows of passing cars; many times the bass thumps and pulses
at stop signs. Chirps, caws, tweets,
peeps, chatters, screeches, yips, are nature’s addition to the celebration. We were awakened in the wee hours by the screaming
of an animal near our bedroom window. A
tomcat on the prowl? A red fox passing
through? We were never sure of the origin, but acknowledged it as a sign of the
changing season.
Smell – Campfires, brush piles alit,
freshly turned soil, worms, manure, sun warmed earth tantalize the nose. Laundry dried on the clothesline, bedding and
throw rugs aired outside bring spring into the house as does throwing wide the
doors and windows. Let it all come in,
unless or until the farmer is spreading manure and fertilizer.
Touch – Prickly nettles, sharp thorns,
crumbly moist soil, dew-soaked grass, velvety moss are all encountered in any
gardening effort as snow peas and root crops are gently worked into the
soil Bare feet linger on warm asphalt, scurry over
gravel, massage garden soil, glory in zephyr breezes. Sometimes I find myself
touching the earth believing that I can almost feel its heart beat. And I whisper to the seedlings and bulbs,
“Grow.”
Taste – The first barbecue or Creemee
or toasted marshmallow is just the promise of more to come. And what a promise it is! Lunch eaten at a
picnic table, dinner served outside on the deck, an apple munched while in the
hammock and food never tasted so yummy. Now
is the time to add extra vittles on the grill and invite friends, new and old,
to partake.
This season is a gift. It’s a time to look around and realize the
truth that the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. May you gather in that goodness and benefit
from it. Happy spring!
