March 26, 2014

Spring, Where Are You?

Winter weary. Frost fatigued. Ice impatient. It's interesting how the very people who look forward to winter's first magical snowfall can be the same ones who don't want to see one more single snowflake at the season's end. Count me in. I am tired of wearing boots, hats and mittens. I don't want to scrape ice off the car's windshield one more time or shovel the front steps. I'm finding it hard seeing photos of blossoming trees and plants in others' blogs and Instagram feeds. I am aching to see my garden.

Although the calendar says spring arrived here about a week ago, this is still very much winter weather.

And yet, once temperatures rise, Meeko and I will no longer be able to take our daily forest walks. The little forest at our street's end will be too wet and swampy in a matter of days or weeks to walk in. So, I realized that instead of hating the last few days of this long, long winter, I should be cherishing its final moments. So I shifted my focus and my mood followed. Interesting. A recipe perhaps for other areas of my life?

I took these photos near the end of the day two days ago while trying to drink in the beauty of the snow, shadows and light. I thought about the freedom and joy that these forest walks give Meeko several months a year. I thought about the times I laugh out loud at Meeko's crazy antics in the snow or his goofy expression as he runs back to my side on the path. I thought about the welcome break these walks give me in my day and the peacefulness they provide to my spirit.

Oh spring, I can't wait for you to come but do you know what winter, I'm actually going to miss you.


The sun goes down and one season slowly concedes to another.

“It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want—oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” 
― Mark Twain

14 comments:

  1. beautiful walking path ~ it looks very similar to the one I walk with my Lab.
    meeko looks very happy ~ so true what you wrote about the freedom these spaces give our dogs (and ourselves) ♥

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    1. We are lucky to have it so close and it is nice that you have a similar place to walk your dog. Meeko is a happy boy for sure.

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  2. *Sigh* I will miss the wintery weather (yes, even while icy winds howl outside the window) ~ and the joys of hibernation. Spring is lovely of course, but it brings with it mud, and the return of all the hungry bugs just waiting to get a little bite of us! (and our animals too!)
    Thanks for sharing the photos of the snowy goodness!

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    1. Every season has its pros and cons for sure. I'm not looking forward to the ants finding their way inside or the mosquitoes finding their way to me (they love me!) But the flowers! :)

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  3. I think the snow has been extremely trying for you all this winter! It's such a shame you can't walk this walk in better weather? I still love taking Jet into the woods, he seems to love it too, but is way behind us now, whereas he was always way in front :) You need a new wood walk, I hope you get to see your garden soon, spring flowers are going crazy over here, it's gorgeous!

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    1. Spring flowers going crazy? Ooooooo, I would love to see that. :) I just remembered a couple of weeks ago that I planted 300 new spring bulbs this past autumn in addition to what was already there so my garden should have lots to show off.

      The swampiness of the little forest near us is actually why it is still there. There is a little frog species that is protected that lives there. Were it not for the swamp and the frog, it would have been cleared for more houses! So we are lucky. I'm glad that Jet still gets his forest walks even if he is slowing down.

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  4. There is so much to enjoy in each season ... but it's sometimes hard to keep on enjoying some when it's been too long a season. I understand you, really. For the opposite season & reason. Warm temps come too early & never leave. I know it will make most of you laugh outloud, but when in July it's already been a good couple (if not more) of months that you're boiling, outside in the streets or in nature, and indoors (day and night, night and day, never sleeping well + mosquitos), well ... I wish autumn could come in August. But it doesn't, it is never before the end of October. (most every year, it's even warmer late September)

    I love the photo of Meeko running down the path !! Priceless !
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts, my friend !
    Big hugs to you & sweet Meeko !
    xoxo

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    1. No matter where we live, there are challenges to certain seasons, aren't there? I envy the long growing season you have in your area when you post photos from your city and region. But the heat would wear after a while.

      Meeko reminds me of a rabbit when he runs like that! :) xo

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  5. I am so curious as to what made those round impressions with the hole in the center that surround Meeko in the snow? I too love winter but am also ready for a change. It is all brown here. No blooms, no buds as of yet. We got snow just the other day as well. Still having ice on the windshields too. I do so hope you and Meeko have other places to walk when not winter? We're right on the I & M Canal Trail so even though the forest that runs alongside the path near us is also soft, as long as it isn't wet, M takes the dogs through there. I find the earth so soft and spongy that I tend to avoid it as a place to walk, always fearing muddy shoes.

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    1. I think they are from ski poles--someone perhaps with x-country skiis (although I've never seen somewhere there skiing) or perhaps just using the poles for stability while walking as it can be icy on the path. I wear cleats on my boots.

      We have other places to walk but it's more sidewalks and pathways through residential areas the other times of the year. Still enjoyable but nothing like being in the forest where you can pretend that civilization is far away. Plus, Meeko needs to stay on his leash. So the winter walks are a treat for him and me. :)

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  6. Anonymous3:21 PM EDT

    Je dirais que vous avez eu de la chance d'avoir de la neige cet hiver. Ici dans la région parisienne, nous n'avons pas eu d'hiver à proprement parlé. Pratiquement aucun gel, pas de neige. Seulement du temps gris et de la pluie et une moyenne de 5/6 degrés. On dit que c'est l'un des hivers les plus chauds depuis 100 ans !
    Le mois de mars a été très ensoleillé et doux pour la saison et tout est en avance.
    Bonne continuation.

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    1. Bonjour Hélène, Il neige encore ce matin. Nous l'avon apprécié plus au début de la saison. Mais la pluie et du temps gris pendant l'hiver ne seraient pas agréable. Ici on a battu des records pour le froid! Amusez-vous bien dans votre jardin. Je serais dans le mien bientôt!

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  7. I have to admit that I´m more a spring, summer and autumn girl than a winter girl - very happy that spring has arrived here!

    http://tinajoathome.com/

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