The miracle of spring
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/05/2024 (619 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The miracle of spring still takes my breath away.
It begins slowly in Winnipeg. The last of the snow puddles finally disappears. The air loses its chill and the days become longer.
Then suddenly, green shoots appear in the garden. The perennial flowers, rhubarb, and mint push through the soil, awake again after their long winter slumber.
Photo by Jeff O’Leary
Spring blooms in the back yard.
The first vibrant green buds appear on the shrubs and trees. The forsythia bush is the first to push out its yellow blooms. These are followed by the pink ornamental plum flowers. Next, the ornamental crab apple tree bursts into a mass of pink flowers.
Last of all, the lilacs sent forth fragrant purple blooms. Spring is in the air.
The birds and animals revel in the change of season. Migratory birds begin to appear at the feeders… northern flickers, juncos, American robins, redwinged blackbirds and goldfinches.
The activity on the Riverbend lake increases with nesting pairs of Canada geese and different varieties of ducks.
The annual cleanup begins. The city begins to fill in the potholes created during the winter. The street cleaners sweep away the sand and dirt. Another spring ritual – cruise night – begins each Sunday evening with the roar of motorcycles and the growl of souped-up cars.
Neighbours reappear after their long winter hibernation. Children’s voices fill the air as they play outside and ride their bikes around the neighbourhood.
Our spring cleaning begins. It’s time to clean the windows and let the sunshine in. We rake the lawns and sweep out the garage. We begin to prepare the bikes for another riding season.
The annual rituals of spring fill me with hope and joy. My flower and vegetable gardens are planned and will be planted at the end of May. I am happy that I can look forward to another year of working outside in my garden. It feels good to clean up the garden debris from last fall and begin anew. I love the feel of dirt between my fingers and the sheer joy of watching plants grow. As Margaret Atwood says, “ In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”
All things seem possible in the spring. The rain washes away the winter’s debris. Let the sun warm you, breathe deeply and enjoy this glorious season.