Secret Signs of Spring
Mother Nature Gives Me Hints Before Everyone Else
In Canada, the first sign of Spring is a big deal. Winters are long, snowy and cold. For the first time in my life, I got to experience -59 temperatures. That’s -59 Celcius, so, we’re talking -74.2 for my American friends. Translation — really, really cold, as in everything stops cold.
The thing is, Mother Nature is a sneaky one and often offers us a few teasers that look like signs of Spring but aren’t. A string of balmy days after a cold snap, so warm we’ve gone from skidoo suits to t-shirts in 48 hours. Sure why not? Feels like Spring. Not Spring.
That blade of green grass that comes out during the warm spell. Sure looks like a sign of Spring. Not a sign.
To the amateur observer, these false starts signal the first signs of winter’s eventual demise. They’d be wrong. That’s why they’re amateurs.
The first signs of Spring can’t be seen. They’re felt and smelled. No, I’m not kidding. Maybe it’s my autism. Maybe I’m just a little nuts. Maybe I’m both, but I’m serious, the first signs of spring are so subtle most people I know don’t notice.
This year, Spring first whispered in my ear 3 days ago. I could feel it on the wind and in the sun. We’ve had sunny days before but this one was different. The…
