Signs of Spring I Refuse to Ignore

The other day while leaving my work parking ramp, I noticed a gaggle of birds half on the street, half on the sidewalk pecking at remnants of some carcass. As I drove away, I looked a little closer and noticed a robin among the herd. I remember thinking, well, if that is a robin, that means Spring!

Granted there is still quite a bit of snow on the ground from last week’s storm and more snow on the way. Yet, you will not hear me complain for two reasons…last summer’s drought created extreme conditions, making it difficult to grow vegetables or feed livestock. We need the moisture. All the moisture we can get.

State of Iowa Capitol and grounds

Yet, I refuse to ignore the signs of Spring (and, in fact, I hope with the upcoming snow storms and Spring rains, the upcoming weeks will be wet, muddy, and green!)

A sign of Spring…the dying wind.  You know that particular type of wind that is painful to breathe when it blows. The kind that makes your nose so numb, raw, and red that it splinters with a touch. A few weeks ago that wind was in the city with sound and fury. Fast forward to today, that sound and fury has signified nothing. Do not get me wrong, I do not mind the wind and it serves a vital role to the health of our planet. Acting like a fan, it helps circulate oxygen through the atmosphere, blows away air pollutants, dusts off tree branches, allows sunlight to shine in dark places, and carries pollen from one plant to the next. Even still, today that cold, biting wind is calming down a bit, hopefully moving east. This sign of Spring allows me to feel my nose again. 

A sign of Spring…rising temperatures. Several weeks ago, I would balk at mid-30s temperature; however, today I am downright giddy at the suggestion. The birds recognize it too. They have resumed their morning chatter. Walking or running errands over lunch is now within the realm of possibility. Scarves are wrapped looser around necks and, every now and then, my hair can be free rather than matted down and trapped inside a winter's cap. 

A sign of Spring…the days are longer. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac the first official day of Spring begins on the “…the vernal equinox at 7:02 A.M. (EDT) on March 20, 2013 in the Northern Hemisphere.” (EXACTLY TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY!). The OFA defines “equinox” to mean “equal night…” where “…days and nights are approximately equal everywhere and the Sun rises and sets due east and west.” I believe it. I am no longer driving home after work in the dark. A small, subtle, yet nice welcome transition to Spring.

Dave Deegan, an Environmental Protection Agency blogger, wrote that (beginning) Spring might not be the prettiest time of year, “…it is at least a sign that winter is losing its grip and spring will come.” I agree; the transition from Winter to Spring is not pretty. The snow has lost its initial pearly-white shimmer as it trickles down storm drains. My car is perpetually dirty. Salt, sand, and brine are tracked into my house daily. Tree branches are leafless. The grass is either brown or invisible. The cornfields are quiet. My windows are still shut. My skin pale. Things are, for now, colorless. Or, maybe stuck in this opaque, greyish, brown middle. Yet, soon, very soon, this period will end and Spring will be here. I just know it. I refuse to ignore the signs.