Signs of Spring, Part 1: Intangibles

In the past week I have definitely noticed the coming of spring, despite the 8-10+ inches of snow we received last Monday that buried us in. And today as I took a walk in the brilliant sunshine, I noticed even more, in those intangible ways:

• the shifting angle of sun in the sky -- our house is at an odd angle and in the winter receives very little sun, but in the past week, the sun has started to move into our windows in the mornings;
• the lengthening of days -- technically, this goes with the previous statement, but I do love seeing the sun in the sky as I drive home from work, blazing fiercely not quite setting between the hills;
  
• the scent of the earth and trees -- the thawing of the ground and the awaking of the trees leaves pockets of fresh earthy scent, and the pines on our road smell sharp and pungent;
• the warming breeze -- the wind was kicking this afternoon, but it was a warm breeze, not a slicing winter wind;
• the enlivening of the animals -- the birds in our trees and at our feeder have more song in them, the crows and hawks have more flight, and the deer have more spring (I saw one today bounding across a farm field on George Hannum);
• the maple sugar shacks post is now receiving more hits than the sledding posts....
  

Look forward, look forward, and be not discouraged with the occasional threat of returning winter. Spring is on its way -- let there be spring!
(I am so looking forward to spring -- I have already begun planting my garden (in the kitchen), and the zucchini and tomatoes are growing at a rapid pace.)

Tune in later this week for Signs of Spring, Part 2!