There is a pile of grass-stained soccer cleats in the floor of my van.
The leaves we never got around to raking last fall are cheerfully decomposing, revealing their hidden treasures of rusty Hot Wheels cars and Legos underneath.
Strange contraptions are appearing in my backyard, contraptions made of a stick, curling ribbon, a deflated ballon and Scotch tape:
Curious holes appear around my backyard, most likely dug using my good spoons.
My daffodils bashfully reveal their color, while the hyacinths get ready explode right into theirs.
Something in me stretches, and yawns, and breathes deeply.
It must be spring.
And spring is always good :)
Posted by: Laura | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 05:12 AM
I'm gonna live vicariously through you...it snowed here last night :(
Posted by: Jenn | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 05:57 AM
Spring.....almost. We'll still have our Easter "cold snap" as my grandmother used to say. Yesterday was beautiful so it does give me hope that it is coming...
Posted by: Queen Mother | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 06:17 AM
It's been great for the kids to be outside around here the past couple of days! Let the digging begin! Why do kids love to dig?? And poke around the already struggling grassland areas...a stick hut was sticking out of a bare patch of ground - it looked adorable and creative but it's the wrong place for it.
Posted by: Edi | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 06:32 AM
The whole house seems to get a little bit bigger as the kids finally go outside to play...
Posted by: suburbancorrespondent | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 06:33 AM
Yeah SPRING! here in Texas we are seeing an abundance of weeds, fireants and yes - trees budding out.
Posted by: Linda Sue | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 07:07 AM
Nothing is coming up here.........yet, but...but...but....my boy said that he saw geese flying north this morning.
That, my dears, is a wonderful sign!
Posted by: chocolatechic | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 07:10 AM
Well, at least you have spring. We got more snow last night.....trade ya?
Posted by: tas | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 07:12 AM
We've got the same thing going on here. I just noticed a mysterious arrangement of sticks and boards in the back yard, random scraps of paper by the swingset, and (annoyingly) cigarette butts left by some of our basement-remodeling workers.
Can't wait until the sunshine and warmth follow!
Posted by: Katrina (Callapidder Days) | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 07:27 AM
Spring?!? SPRING!?! We've had more snow this March than any other March in history. We're trying to figure out how to do the Easter egg hunt on the first day of spring like you said, because we'll have to be burying them under snow.
Sniff. Now I'm jealous.
Visit To Love, Honor and Vacuum today!
Posted by: Sheila Gregoire | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 07:35 AM
You forgot the sweatshirts draped on the car or on the deck railing on and the discarded socks near the basketball goal!!
Great post!
Posted by: Lisa | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 07:38 AM
Can you send some of that spring this way? We still have two feet of snow on the ground.....
My kids think that the Easter Bunny will be riding in on Santa's sleigh.
Posted by: warillever | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 07:46 AM
You know, I am jealous for another reason, an opposite reason. You get spring, you get daffodils and hyacinth. Here is Florida we just warmer temps in a "winter" that has been crazy. We have gone from 50's to 80's in a single day!! The poor azelas (sp) don't know what to do. We lived in VA for two years so I do understand where you are coming from, and in some ways I miss it a lot!!
Posted by: April | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 07:47 AM
We are in the bulb-popping-seed-sprouting-runny-nose-goodness time of the year too. I feel sorry for those still shoveling snow!
Posted by: Kristen @ We are THAT family | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 08:01 AM
Taking deep breaths along with you! Ahhhhhhh...
Posted by: Jenni | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 08:09 AM
i'm glad someone is having spring! we just had a blizzard a few days ago!
Posted by: lisa (lost pezhead) | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 08:17 AM
Oh no you don't! I'm not gonna listen to all your talk of hyacinths blooming and Spring is here and then be devastated when the blizzard hits again. I'm going to sit here with my snow shovel and my hot chocolate and wait....
(boy, I sound like FUN!)
Diane
Posted by: Diane | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 08:32 AM
That's one thing it took a while to get used to. Spring arriving earlier down south. Believe me, I enjoy it when it comes, because it seems to move too quickly into the hot humid months of summer. It's gorgeous here today as well!
Posted by: Jackie | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 08:56 AM
When I was in junior high, my parents went to an auction of a restaurant that was closing. They bought every single spoon the restaurant was selling.....to replace all the spoons us kids had used for shovels :). I do not even actually remember using the good spoons, but apparently, according to my mom, they disappeared often.
I got a good laugh when you mentioned the spoons :)
Posted by: Sarah W. | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 09:03 AM
Ditto - spring is showing up here too! The past few days have been beautiful, and the flowers/trees are blooming...
Posted by: angela | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 09:07 AM
"Strange contraptions are appearing in my backyard, contraptions made of a stick, curling ribbon, a deflated ballon and Scotch tape:"
You found one of those TOO??
Posted by: Everyday Mommy | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 09:09 AM
Yay! Spring! I remember digging in the dirt with mom's spoons, scissors, bowls, cups, whatever. It's 65 here today but will be back in the low 40s tomorrow...
Posted by: Kat @ The Burb Blog | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 09:21 AM
Oh yes! And thank the good Lord, cause I'm in need of a thaw.
Posted by: A&EMom | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 09:27 AM
I'm right there with A&E Mom. It's not been all that cold here, but my heart needs thawing anyway.
Posted by: pam | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 09:40 AM
I'm so excited that its Springtime! I wandered outside to the backyard with my kids a few days ago and it was just lovely! Well the weather was... not so much my backyard. I decided to try to pay my boys to pick up sticks which are ubiquitous since the ice storm last November. The negotiations began: "I'll pay you a penny per stick" I said. "How about a dollar?" my 7 year old said. We settled on a nickel. Thirty minutes later they had each earned $10 and the yard looked much better. But there is still soooo much work to be done!
Michelle in Tulsa
Posted by: Momandmore | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 10:20 AM
And the boys ask to pee in the backyard...
Posted by: travis Spencer | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 10:31 AM
Bring on spring!
Posted by: Reynie | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 11:05 AM
Smile.
Posted by: Melanie | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 11:31 AM
you have such a lovely way with words
happy spring!
Posted by: nims | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 01:04 PM
Can it feel like spring at 7pm tonight when we're at T-ball practice so my 6 year old doesn't melt down in tears because he's cold?
Posted by: Beth | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 01:29 PM
Yes, here we have muddy shoes by the front door, hail damage on the roof, allergies kicking in, a cardinal trying to come in our dining room window, and some DAYLIGHT! I am so very thankful.
Posted by: Amy loves Bud | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 01:38 PM
YAY for spring! I laughed about the spoons, too! I used to wonder, pre-kids, why my sister-in-law always complained about the kids taking silverware outside. Now I know! I guess it's in the Kid Code of Conduct.
Posted by: Smockity Frocks | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 02:04 PM
I like that contraption. I'm sure he'll come up with a lot more uses for it in a few days.
Posted by: creative-type dad | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 02:46 PM
Happy Spring! I have many contraptions like that around my house, too. It's amazing what kids can do with tape and string. :-)
Posted by: Kristen | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 03:17 PM
Gosh. When I saw your post photo, I thought I had accidentally stumbled on a post from last fall! We still have three feet of snow in the yard! Guess I'll have to live vicariously through you...
Posted by: Half-Past Kissin' Time | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 03:34 PM
Ya that was my thought when I saw it's suppose to rain 4 out of the next 5 days! LOL
Posted by: Veggiemomof2 | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 04:33 PM
Today has been absolutely gorgeous! And, it's left me with a severe, probably incurable, case of spring fever.
Posted by: Kris | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 05:03 PM
Oh I envy your early spring. Just as our 3 month pile-up of snow had nearly melted away and just as my little crocuses were poking through the mud, just as I was breathing a sigh of relief from the winter blues, BAM! Another dumping of snow. 3 inches! Oh how Mother Nature mocks me. Looking for good airfare (and a good job for my hubby) in Arizona.
Posted by: kj | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 05:04 PM
The weather was beautiful here today. I just hope it stays that way, we have had to much snow :(
Posted by: Charissa | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 06:43 PM
Aaaah Aaaaah Aaaaahhhhhhchooo! I lub spwing!
Posted by: Aunt Murry | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 07:09 PM
Very poetic!
Yay for Spring!
Yay for Spring!
Posted by: Amber (P31) | Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 07:39 PM
Ah, Spring... bring it on!
Oh, and I've always said I wouldn't want to sell a house in the winter (lots of snow here)... who knows what the new owners would find in the spring. :)
Posted by: KitchenScrapbook | Friday, March 14, 2008 at 01:50 PM
Don't you LOVE spring? I sure do
Posted by: Kilikina | Friday, March 14, 2008 at 04:12 PM
Yummy words. I can't wait!
Posted by: Minnesotamom | Saturday, March 15, 2008 at 05:26 PM
Happy Spring!!
Posted by: Stacey | Monday, March 17, 2008 at 04:57 PM