Okay, I know, the wind is still chilly most early mornings and when the sun goes down it cools off fast. Still, there is a breath of the new, the promise of spring in each passing day. Almost without our notice the sun is softening, air is thinner and days a little longer. Soon the gardens will smell of freshly turned soil where seeds are planted, lawn mowers will be humming, and birds will be nesting in anticipation of new hatchlings. The world seems new and bright again.
Still, it is February, and we are still caught in that space between winter and spring. We plan, and wait. We listen for the robin’s song and look for the first daffodil, but still need a sweater and the thicker socks. Rains will awaken things, healing of the frozen foliage will begin to bud, and newly minted leaves will green out. Gardeners will garden, fishermen will fish, walkers and joggers will move with renewed purpose. Hot tea will soon be iced and those worn-out jeans will be cut off for summer comfort. It is excitingly fresh.
March is coming fast. And, no matter what the groundhog or the almanac says, spring arrives Monday, March 20th, 2017 at 5:29 AM. It is the vernal equinox, the time that the sun crosses the Earth’s equator from south to north and one of only two times in the year when day and night are equal in length. (The vernal equinox doesn’t fall on the same day every year because the length of the calendar year doesn’t quite correspond with that of the solar year; the first day of spring varies from March 19 to March 21.) You barely dry the happy tears from valentine wishes and it is time to send shamrocks and dye Easter eggs. Easter, which falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the equinox, is April 16th this year, and in most states, that date also marks the beginning of Daylight Saving Time, when we know the sun is here to stay.
So, enjoy your hot tea, savory soups and warm sweater for a minute. In our little community, the warm up is coming fast. With it comes more weekenders, more boats and beach goers, fishing tournaments and vacationers, increased traffic, lines at Speedy Stop and the marinas and more people in the space we call home. Neighbors we haven’t seen in a season will return with a smile, and the busy bustle will bring new sights and smiles to our longer days and mellow nights. So, feed the birds, plant the garden, water the grass and dust off the fishing equipment because 2017 Phase II is just another great time to enjoy life in a different way in our little community at the end of the road.
Spring is springing!
