Well it's been a tough winter here in Ohio. It was long and cold and there was more snow than I can remember in a long time. The last few days have been mild though. Warm breezes and sunshine bring that smell of pre-spring that comes before the really pretty smells of spring. It's that wet smell; the smell of earth and leaves that have been covered in snow and ice for too long. It's the beginning. The first Red-winged Blackbirds were at the feeder today. A welcome sight.
The snowdrops are blooming, their delicate white heads looking to the ground as the sun warms their backs. The branches of the trees are swelling making it more difficult to see through the bare woods. The call of a killdeer as it flies by brings a smile to my face. As I look up to try to find it, I catch a glimpse of the large dark shape of my first Turkey Vulture of the spring.
The warmer nights bring out the spring peepers. Their hollow calls echo in the wet woods behind the house tonight. The rain softly pads the ground and loosens up the last of the snow and ice. It smells fresh tonight; no wonder those peepers can't sleep either. It's a great feeling knowing that the worst of winter is behind us. Even though more snow may come, and surely there will be cold, it can't last. It won't hold it's grip, spring will prevail, and it will bring with it all of the amazing wonders that spring has to offer. I treasure these days when I notice these things for the first time. They free my soul.
