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Saturday, March 21, 2015

"Ruckus"

Turkey vultures (buzzards) came back this week.  I caught my breath when I saw one floating above the street.  Spring has truly come back to Ohio.  It's still cold, but not so cold you always have to have your winter coat zipped up.  The first flowers poked their heads out of the frozen ground.  The river runs free again.

I stepped outside at work and heard the little brown birds raising a ruckus.  They're fighting over nesting spots and best twigs for those nests.  A few crows live here all year, but their friends and relatives have come back.  They loudly gossip and get to know each other again.  They filled the maple tree with their evening discussions, cawing over each other about the latest gossip.

The winter tension dripped off my shoulders and melted at my feet, watering the crocuses.  I feel like I can breathe again.

I wish I had the money to be a snowbird because winter is hard for me.  I endure, that's all.  I don't want to hear perky people telling me to dress in layers or go skiing.  I am an angry, semi-hibernating bear in a cave.  If you come into that cave you may get swiped by my claws.

Then the sun comes out, the birds return, the flowers nod in the breeze and I am as pleasant as a puppy.  I went to the garage and reorganized the stuff my brother put in there 2 years ago.  I reorganized his stuff in the basement too.  I feel like I can breathe again.  I anticipate new projects, or maybe I'll keep up my nesting and reorganize my own stuff too.  My puppy and I will start taking our evening walks again.  I found my brother's bike in the garage and might start taking bike rides too.

Suddenly there isn't enough hours in the day for all the things I want to do.  My legs and back ache from all the sudden exercise, but it's a good ache because all my parts are moving again.  The hungry bear lumbers out of the cave and starts living again.  A squawking goose flew over my head and I heard summer.

When I was little, this was the time of year that I could start exploring my greater world again.  I saw the first snowdrops and studied them with intensity.  I looked at the things that are usually hidden by plants or snow.  An old cistern, tools dropped, things washed up in the flood could all occupy me for a minute, or an hour, or until it was time for supper.

I love spring, even when it comes in fits and starts with weather people hanging onto dire warning of more snow even when the sun is shining.  They can't fool me anymore.  I've seen robins and mourning doves.  Winter's back is broken and things are living again!

My brother has a second job cooking at Waffle House in the middle of the night.  He sculpted this butter bunny when he had some free time.

12 comments:

  1. I am glad the Bear is coming out of hibernation Linda, it's been a long winter for you over there. Enjoy the spring and all it's promises. Ruckus is such a cool word and your illustration is perfect. The butter bunny really made me laugh! Xx

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  2. Winter has been blessedly-mild here in Northern California this year (dire drought warnings aside), and I have not curled into my own tight little habitual winter ball that you describe so well, Linda. It's the lack of sunshine that gets me the most, I think. The photographs of the "49er Days" in the old bars in town show winters that surely equaled yours there in the Midwest, but in my thirty-five years here, even two feet of snow from one storm, or even that much that had accumulated on the ground, has been rare. No doubt you are envious...but feel smug that when snow does show up in just about any amount, Californians (unless they're skiers) deal with it very badly! :-) Happy Spring, my dear...I am celebrating the return of 'green' here myself!

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    1. At least we never have drought around me, and even if it quit snowing and raining, we can always get water out of the Great Lake. We can all appreciate living with central heating even if it does drop a couple feet of snow. Happy equinox!

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  3. I was noticing what a difference a sunny day makes in my own mood this week. Count me among the hibernating bears. Even your "ruckus" bird is smiling! And that's an impressive butter bunny :)

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  4. Oh how I enjoy your story-telling posts! I really do like winter but there's something about summer and spring ... if I had to chose, I'd pick a rainy summer over a perfect winter wonderland any day ;)... the butter bunny lol :D

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  5. I'll tell Bro that his butter bunny is spreading laughter in the world. It made me laugh too. Thanks for the comments everybody! Happy spring!!

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  6. I love the waffle house! Cheesy eggs. Nuff said. (That's their new poster) I will have to send this link to my husband so he can see the butter sculpture. I will miss my pecan waffles and covered hashbrowns. Till I'm a snow bird again. We don't have them here. Birds are a great ruckus theme by the way.

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  7. Thanks Sharon, and glad your husband enjoyed the butter bunny. Hippity hoppety :)

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  8. Lovely bird design, Linda. Even though the return of our spring here is not as defined as in other parts of the country (such as yours), it still signifies rebirth and renewal, and with a "ruckus" in the trees and shrubs all over!

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  9. Happy springtime, Linda.
    I've moved from the Netherlands to Ireland and I'm still setting up my studio. Meanwhile, like you, spring brings inspiration for new projects.
    Your post is full spring!

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  10. My spring was short-lived since it's snowing on flowers today -- but since there are flowers at all I know that real spring is coming soon! Thanks for commenting!

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  11. I am sorry you have to endure the plagues of winter where you live - and won't say anything about how wonderful winter can be... At least you are heading into seasons that will be more agreeable with your nature. Who wants to be a snowbird anyway - strangers in a place that nobody wants there...? Maybe you can look at it this way: After the hardship of winter you truly appreciate spring and summer all the more. If you had it all year around you wouldn't even notice.

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