Spring in the Prairies
Comes like a surprise.
One minute there’s snow on the ground.
The next there’s sun in your eyes.

This is the opening line from a song by prairie singer-songwriter, Connie Kaldor from her album Wood River. I often think of this song at this time of year. On the prairies, spring starts to emerge from winter in late April. After the major dumping of snow and overnight freezing recently, this song came to mind again. Here’s Connie singing it – have a listen.

Spring brings Hope

Spring is my favourite season of the year. I see the earth waking from her long winter’s sleep and plants starting to poke their noses out of the ground. I can imagine the bees and other insects waking and stretching out the tiny limbs and antennae, waiting for the right moment to emerge and forage for food. In my garden, the first things to show any life are the snowdrops, crocus, and the rhubarb, followed by daffodils, forsythia, tulips, and forget-me-nots. The visceral need for things newly living is great at this time of year and I just have to have flowers in my home. To that end, out come the pruning shears so I can bring branches of forsythia and pussy willows indoors to bloom in my front entry. This act gives me hope.

It gives me hope in the cycle of life, in the order of creation, in the renewal of each new season. After a long winter of dormancy and what sometimes seems like endless dirty snow, cold, and slush there are signs of life popping up all around. Especially this year as we trudge, feet dragging, into the second year of pandemic and lockdowns.

Like new life emerging from the soil, I have hope that with the arrival of vaccines, the angst and ennui that has settled over the winter will turn my world, and yours, into new life, a riot of colour and scent, and joy in a world bursting with new possibilities.

Spring brings hope to all of us. Enjoy and please stay safe.