One of the many nice things about living in a temperate weather zone is the yearly change of seasons.  Believe me, I spent many years living in Florida, and there is nothing more boring than a subtropical climate.  The joke in the “Sunshine State” was that there were only three seasons – early summer, late summer, and next summer.  That wasn’t far from the truth.  There was nothing more uninspiring than dressing your kids up for Halloween in some sort of costume, hoping they wouldn’t melt or drown in a pool of sweat (due to the heat and humidity), and slathering them with bug spray before sending them out for trick-or-treating.  I also found it hard to get into the Christmas spirit each year when the only thing even close to “winter cold” around my house was the upright freezer I kept in my garage.  For goodness sake, I was putting up my holiday lights in shorts and flip-flops.

But I digress.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the summer.  It’s a time for ice cream cones at “Sweetsie’s”, dipping my feet in the cool water at Camp Harding County Park, or hand cut French Fries at the Clear Spring Carnival.  Fall brings the red, orange, and golden hues of Fairview Mountain (just to the west of my house), fresh apple butter, and cool evening walks along the C&O Canal in the autumn evenings.  Winter has its highlights as well, with mornings snuggled under a thick comforter as I hear the wind rattle the windows, a warm mug of tomato soup, or the local farmland’s features erased to a pristine white under a blanket of snow.

Each season has its time and place.  Its rhythmic cycle not only marks the passage of time, but also gives me something to look forward to in each of its iterations.

Spring is finally upon us.  The flowering cherry trees outside of my house are turning their annually brilliant pink.  The daffodils, crocuses, and tulips are emerging from their winter slumber, soon to paint the yards and meadows with their yellows, purples, and reds.  Soon there will be wild mushrooms appearing (which cannot be beat when sautéed in butter on my stove).  Robins are making daily appearances, the morning bird songs announce their presence – and everywhere there is green.

All shades of green – from lawns and bushes to the new buds of leaves on the trees.  Slow and steady rains nourish the soil, and dark patches of recently-tilled gardens are beginning to show their manicured rows of early planted vegetables, offering the hint of fresh produce that will soon fill kitchen tables or farmer’s markets.  There will be plenty of radishes, spring onions, carrots, spinach, and asparagus in the coming weeks.

Whether it’s the cherry blossoms blooming in the Washington, D.C tidal basin or a brilliantly yellow forsythia bush coming to life as a sentinel along a roadside, spring keeps the promise of nature’s annual renewal.  I certainly am lucky to be living in a place where I can experience each season’s unique splendor.

If you live in an area that enjoys a similar climate, then what are you waiting for?  Get out and enjoy it – no matter what the weather!

 

 

What’s your favorite springtime activity or memory?  Drop me a line in the comment section and let me know!