Signs of Spring Contest

I would have to say that spring is definitely my favourite time of year. Ever since I was a kid walking to and from the bus stop I have loved watching the world gradually wake up from its winter slumber, peeking out in new places every day.

The first sign is always the little tiny bumps that start to form on the branches of trees and bushes, which slowly become tight little brown buds. Then they begin to take on a slightly greenish hue, and all of a sudden, when nobody is looking, the brand new baby leaves break free and give the trees a misty green shimmer.

Then you hear a sound that you'd missed all winter long but didn't realize it. The birds have returned, with their early morning chorus welcoming the new day. They're busy courting and building their nests, as are the squirrels, who you now see running up and down the power lines, and leaping from tree to tree.

If you look closely you can see that things are also stirring on the ground below. Little green spears start poking their heads though the earth, usually in someone's garden. They grow larger and larger, and soon they are no longer spears. They have become two leaves surrounding a stem with a faintly coloured bulge on the end - sometimes purple, sometimes white or yellow or orange, and sometimes a combination of colours. The crocuses have arrived! And before you know it they've opened up and are creating pockets of vibrant colour everywhere you look.

Then you start to notice that the grass is no longer the dry winter brown that it has been since the snow melted. Every day it becomes a little greener, as the fresh new shoots push their way up to the sun, replacing the remnants of last year's lawn until there's nothing left but bright green grass and maybe a dandelion or two.

Of course spring, like every other season, has its downsides. The melting snow and April showers can create a seemingly endless supply of mud, and the ants and spiders (and other creepy-crawlies) that have lain dormant all winter wake up and rediscover the paths into your house. And while I am not a big fan of these particular developments, they are also signs of spring's arrival, so I welcome them as well.

It's such an exciting time of year! Neighbours sit out on their porches and visit, the kids start playing road hockey, people put away their winter coats and boots and start walking everywhere in their bright spring clothes, the corner stores start putting a plethora of fresh flowers and fruit out on the sidewalk - I just love it!

And I don't believe I'm the only one, so in honour of spring I'm going to have a little contest. All you need to do is post a comment telling me your favourite thing about spring, and on Sunday I will put all the names in a hat (or bowl, or something) and pick one lucky person to receive a bar from my next batch of homemade soap (which is going to be a refreshing rosemary-mint).

Happy spring!