Spring

March 20th marks the first day of spring, and typically, the day passes with little notice. However, after a cold winter (record cold, in fact), we celebrated the day outdoors. Mild weather had started to return to the area, although with highs only in the low 70's compared to an average of 80. Nonetheless, we opened the windows and mulched the palms; transferred the palm trees growing in large, ceramic pots on our back patio to spots in between our oaks. My husband made a run to Home Depot to select annuals; the previous weekend, I accompanied him to select fresh herbs for our pots: more basil and cilantro. The latter I've had horrible luck with, always seeming to lose it with the cold. I have hopes it will flourish, and I already I've plucked several stems and chopped its leaves into a fresh batch of guacamole.

The signs of spring are subtle in this part of the country. When we lived in Alabama, spring arrived early and softly with the magnolia trees blossoming first, then the dogwoods. All at once, flowers would bloom and noses would start to run. Much the same happened in Ohio, another of our stops, except the pear tree in the backyard commenced flowering in early April, while the massive oak simultaneously released its red buds. Here, we don't have that dramatic demarcation between winter and spring. The palms and pines remain green year-round; even the scratchy lawn stays green. The oaks, however, grow scraggly looking: their leaves turn silver and wilt, but never completely fall to the ground. Suddenly, there is a blossoming of green freshness. The leaves are that magical, radiant color, suggestive of spring, Easter and new hope. As the air grows milder, I look for these quiet signs. Spring has arrived.