Thursday, March 3, 2011
I love this time of year. I trade in my snowshoes and skiis for my rubber boots and head out into the Great Green Meadow. Putting the boots on and feeling them slosh around on my feet reminds me of when I was a kid and spent all day outside exploring. Many people my age will say that they spent their entire childhood outside playing. Their parents wouldn't consider letting them inside, even on a rainy or cold wintery day. We were told the fresh air was good for us, and so was the exercise. So we spent our days exploring by foot or on our bikes. We often packed a sandwich and a cookie and would be gone for the entire day. I was lucky to grow up in a neighbourhood that backed onto a big sand dune and so had lots of space to explore and play. Our life was one big adventure after another. Although I sometimes complained to my parents at the time "I don't want to play outside, I want to come in and watch tv etc." I realize now as an adult that it was really a life long gift that my parents gave me. By spending so much time outside I developed a love of nature, of exploring, of paying attention, and of being active and those are gifts that I will use for my entire life. Now, I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to walk outside my door and be able to go exploring. Spring is just so full of beauty and surprises in lots of different ways. Gardening season begins and our garlic is already up 3 inches in our lower garden. Little flowers are pushing their way up. We've seen Blue Herons flying over our house. I came home from work on Monday evening and there was a symphony of spring peepers calling from the meadow. Our dog has spring fever and just runs and runs for the pure joy of it. We've dug out our bikes and are getting ready to ride once again. The buds are about to open on the trees. We're slowly changing our menu from the comfort foods of winter to the lighter, fresher foods of spring. Every season is unique and has it's own gifts to offer us. All we need to do is pay attention.