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!
