searching for spring

saturday morning's light seeped through the blinds and served up something of a let-down. maybe i had just stayed up too late the night before, but something about the quality of the day had me wanting to burrow deeper under the covers instead of bounding out of bed to face the day. after a cup of tea and some strawberry-banana bread and another cup of tea, i decided to make something of the day. i headed out to the laurels in search of spring. i knew i would find small glimpses of green creeping in through the cracks and crevices of the woods. water is a constant desire in my life - be it lake, stream, or sea. the creek there might offer a sight or smell of the season that seemed to be alluding southeastern pennsylvania thus far this year.

i was not let down. there were this season's offerings from mother nature; new growth on green ferns, skunk cabbage peppering the stream beds, and buds on every tree and shrub. a nesting pair of mallards took to wing as i walked along the trail across the creek. and finally, with no real reason i looked into a field near the end of my walk and saw a beautiful fox, no hint of mange, a big fluffy red tail, stalking something through the dead grass that would turn green one of these days soon.

my face was red from the breeze and i was happy for my seat warmer when i returned to the car, but as if on cue, today has brought with it a perfect spring afternoon; 75 degrees, sunshine, and a sense the entire world around me is stretching and saying "ah". now is not the time to get attached to such fleeting weather. but i'll take it today, with gratitude.