A Spring Crush

The first truly warm days of spring are always when it starts.  My heart starts fluttering a bit and I get giddy at the thought of maybe not needing a jacket today.  I tentatively step out the door, feel the air and smile. It has begun.

I have an annual love affair with Spring.  After winter (even a winter like we've just had) I am ready to heed the call of Spring, to fall in love with the outdoors again.  And it is like an adolescent crush in so many ways.  I find myself wanting to spend all my waking hours together,  looking for excuses to be outside.  Picnics at the playground, dinner in the yard, knitting on a blanket.....does the house really need to be cleaned?    I find everything Spring does fascinating.  Wow, look at those shoots coming up, gosh those buds are opening quickly, just look at those sweet ducklings.  I can't get enough of Spring's warm embrace, nothing like the good warm hug of the sun.  Of course, even crushes have their lover's spats, mine are spring allergies.  

But even between the sneezes and tissues, I am in love.   

And so, while the calendar technically still said winter, and while the ground is still brown and not green, my suitor came calling.  "Come out and play", it called, and I went.

 Austin heard it calling too.  It said, the sand is warm and dry.  Last years buckets and shovels are lonely, please come and play.

 He was only too happy to oblige.  It called,  "the creek needs someone to muck about in it.  Someone to get mud on their shoes and pants, someone to loosen the leaves with a stick."

 The child aims to please.   It called to the dog, "Come old girl, roll in my grass, feel the warmth on your belly,  let my spring newness make you feel young again."  And Daisey got up off the couch and came.

It called to the chickens, "Come and scratch, there are grubs to be found and cool drinks in the creek to be had."  And a chicken never has to be called twice to dinner.

It called out to the snake, "come out of you burrow, the air is warm.  Take the heat deep into your skin."  And the snake slithered out and basked in the warmth

It called to the flowers, "come my pretty ones, put on your finest dresses.  Your time to shine is now."  And so they are getting ready for the great Spring Ball, dressing to impress, for their time is short, before big green leaves and tall, slim grass will take their places.

And so it begins, each one heeding the call in it's own way.  Each one falling in love all over again.

How about you, are you feeling the love?


On another note, it's also time for a little spring knitting. The Gnomes are popping out ready to play.