Goodbye to the World of Winter, Hello to Spring Surprises!

Today my husband took our Sunday walk which we try to do, weather permitting. I have been trying to convince him that taking an hour or two to “check out” of the challenging routines of our lives is necessary for mental and physical health. Today we definitely experienced the transition between winter and spring right in our own neighborhood.

Goodbye to…

A frozen harbor. This has been one of the few winters since my childhood which has actually caused the harbor to freeze for weeks at a time. Today…no ice.

Winter ducks. For months my daughter and I have been tracking the migratory visitors to our harbor. Today we saw two new kinds of ducks: Buffleheads and American Black Ducks. Another interesting pair turned out to be two Brant from? Soon they will leave and continue their migration.

Gloomy skies. I must say this has been one of the gloomiest winters in my memory, The sky seemed overcast from November to March. Today the skies were cloudless and blue.

Down coats, hats and boots. It seems like I have had to wear my down coat longer than usual this year and I’m still wearing boots when I go walking. I am looking forward to a lighter wardrobe.

Winter holidays. Much as I love Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year (well, sort of), I am ready for those that don’t require so much preparation to enjoy.

Winter recipes. Although I am an avid soup maker and I love those pots of chili and stew that you can feast on for days, as a cook I am ready for lighter meals,

Slice of Life. Becoming part of this experience has changed my life for the better, but a month of intense writing leaves me also looking forward to a break.

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If you read my blog yesterday (One door closes….), you know that I believe in yin and yang. So of course I am ready to walk through the Spring door.

Hello to:

The birds in the park giving birth to their babies and watching the swans try to protect their young from aggressive turtles and sightseers who spook them.

A landscape that is not just gray, black and white. Although the snowfalls have been beautiful at times, I need some color back in my daily walks.

Walks that don’t require me to dress as though I am going on the next expedition to Antarctica. I look forward to putting on my sneakers and taking nimble steps.

Foods that don’t require hours of preparation. There’s such an abundance of fresh produce in the months ahead that doesn’t require slavery to the stove or oven.

Holidays that are casual. It’s fun to invite friends over for a spur of the moment backyard meal from the grill. And who doesn’t love chocolate on Easter and hot dogs and burgers on the 4th of July!

Swimming in my pool, having friends over to enjoy a margarita, backyard grilling with the family, watching my garden bloom through its various stages.

Blogging on Tuesdays. Once a week sounds so leisurely compared to what we’ve been doing. I just can’t say goodbye to such a supportive community of writers.

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So there you have it…. In six months I’ll, of course, be looking forward to fall. How about you? Here’s hoping our writing paths cross again…no matter the season.