Glimpses of Spring
What I noticed today:
- The early morning light
- The dripping sound of icicles melting outside my study window
- Birds chirping
- Dirty snow banks are no longer being cleared
- Lots of water at the intersections
- Potholes on residential streets
- Interesting trees
- Sunset is now 6:00 EST
- The sun is beginning to work again…
- A clean car after a head light replacement thanks to Toyota
What I look forward to this month
Daylight saving time March 13th (I understand not everyone is excited to lose that hour of sleep but I LOVE it)- The first day of spring on the 20th this year
- Wellspring Calgary Fridays
- TD Institute Creativity Cafe
- Open studio Saturdays (sketching, painting, doodling in the company of a few others)
- Study Group Sundays
- Two writing projects and one video
- Time with my family and friends in person and online
- Taking more photos (less cold)
Possibilities
Spotting the first tiny sprouts on the sunny sides of the street- Receiving a new poem
- Meeting the family’s new puppy
- Making plans to see loved ones this summer
- Walks with friends (depends on the slippery factor)
- Completing my taxes by March 31st one month early
- A little more time for making things
- Removing my winter tires (far fetched)
- A train ride to Montreal (dreaming)
- Swimming twice a week (realistic and 100 % up to me)
When the world is in chaos it is a good time to pay more attention to our surroundings and the small things in our daily life.
A number of years ago, in March, a lovely woman of my acquaintance, who also loves poetry, sent me a poem written by Ted Hooser, while he was recovering from cancer. This poem is from his collection Winter Morning Walks: one hundred postcards to Jim Harrison.
Gusty and warm – Thank-you Ted Hooser
I saw the season’s first bluebird
this morning, one month ahead
of its scheduled arrival. Lucky I am
to go off to my cancer appointment
having been given a bluebird, and,
for a lifetime, having been given
this world.
Notes
1:) Many people are in despair right now, if not for themselves, for their loved ones. There is so much that we can’t do because it is totally out of our control. But there are small things we can do so let’s do that. I just heard on CBC radio this evening that an ice cream shop in Calgary raised over $100,000 for the Ukraine relief fund in one day. An ice cream cone for all these people and in winter. Amazing!! A good news story as reported on CTV
2:) I also hold in my heart the 13,ooo plus Russian people who are in jail for speaking out in protest against the war. And they may never get out. May peace come soon.
3:) Take nothing for granted. Every breath is a gift.
4:) I invite you to take note of three specific things in nature every single day that catch your eye (eventually, go beyond the obvious) and jot them down. An experiment.
5:) With the deepest gratitude for stopping by here once again. All my best wishes to you and yours. Take heart. Warmly, Trudy
6:) Links for Ikigai and Illness print copy. I was chastised last week for no links. :-))
I love this post Trudy…thank you so much. I love the ‘removing winter tires’ part, especially the far fetched. Ha ha!
Love you and send you so much love, light and happiness.
xoN
Thank you Nancy. You are such a cheerleader on my behalf. Big hugs, trudy
Yes! Yes! Yes!
The smell of spring was in the air today for sure 🙏
Every bit of it was fine.,,..even the potholes!
Smiling all day.
You captured the day perfectly.
Thank you for your thoughtful note Judy. I love your enthusiasm for these small hints of spring. Warmly, trudy
Always you help us remember the small daily things in life that matter Trudy. Thank you for the Ted Kooser, with a K 🙂 poem – when we can feel lucky for having been given a bluebird as well as this world, we are lucky indeed. love to you, Jan
Thanks, Janice for your sweet note and noticing my spelling mistake. I will go back and fix that and believe me when I say I appreciate it. And I appreciate you showing up with encouraging words, week after week. Best wishes, Trudy
Thank you Trudy, your post brings peace and gratitude to my heart and hope for a peaceful world.
Hi Teresia: When we can make our own environment an oasis of peace it is one thing we can do to help. Big hugs to you and Kenny. Thanks for your note. Warmly, Trudy
Thank you Trudy for a great reminder to observe my surroundings especially when I walk that spring will soon be here!
Oh dear Flora, thanks for your note. Keep your eyes peeled for all the signs of spring and tell us about it. Warm wishes, Trudy
I too,am anxious for spring,tulips up along south side of house.these bring me joy every day.our snow gone once this year but this is calgary.snow loves us in march and even april.i too,am not bothered by time changes but wonder,trudy,how did we survive our youth? Poor little deprived kids🤗🤗🤗
Hi Jean: Life goes on. Winter was easy for me as a kid because my mother did everything. Bundled us up, warmed our pj’s in the wood stove oven, put a hot water bottle in our bed…I just had to show up and go make snow angels,tobaggon, make snowpeople and skate. I LOVED winter. Looking back I can’t believe what all this took for my Mother. Yikes! And when I fell I had no fear of broken bones, unlike now. Thanks for your note, as always. Warmest wishes,Trudy