Spring Has Sprung

Spring has finally arrived and maybe we have seen the last of the snow.  We decided to go out and look for signs of the changing seasons.  The temperature today is 71 with a low of 58 tonight.  Walking with light sweaters was so nice and wearing a skirt the light breeze on my sandaled feet and bare ankles felt wonderful.  The sun rises just before 8 a.m. while it sets just before 8 p.m. and the days are just starting to stretch out longer.  Many yards are full of daffodils while I must wait for mine which are beginning to shoot up in their shady areas to meet the warm sun.  Even the magnolias on our “fuzzy tree” which we check on each walk we take are starting to burst.

Crocuses are fully out now.  Lilacs bushes are bursting and beginning to form their flowery cones.

Tulips are springing forth their big green leaves while my front yard is spotted with these little blue flowers.

Bushes are blossoming and the maple is bursting with it’s red buds.

On our walk this morning as we looked for signs of spring Kaitlyn was lucky enough to find a penny.  Find a penny, pick it up and all day long you’ll have good luck, the old adage was recited.  It was a muddy penny and Kaitlyn labored intensely on cleaning it.  As she carried it in her fist she tripped, fell and lost it in the neighbors grass when we were almost home.  As she cried I gathered that she was not hurt but rather was missing the little penny.  We walked back together to look for it, Kaitlyn still crying.  At the same time, the recycling man was there with his loud rumbling truck making it somewhat difficult to hear any sort of talk.  Seeing Kaitlyn crying he tried asking her what was wrong.  I thought this was unusual since those guys generally go about their business in a brisk no-nonsense manner with a bored look on their face.  But this guy stood their on the sidewalk, pausing from his work looking absolutely bewildered and like he’d never seen a child distraught over a penny before.  After giving up on the penny which must have landed in the grass he called out to see if she’d found the penny.  Crying just as hard as she’d been crying before she shook her head and started to run toward home.  He called out to wait a minute.  The guy climbed into his truck and came stumbling out and placed in Kaitlyn’s hand two pennies and a nickel which he explained he’d found on the road last week.  Somewhat amused I thanked him.  I had just witnessed another child a few blocks earlier having a crying fit for his mother and an elderly woman who walks the neighborhood all the time gave the unwanted advice that he needed a good swat before telling him to shape up and then moving on.  I felt grateful that there are still good people around in unexpected places like the recycling truck who would reserve judgment and would try to be helpful and offer a small kindness to a sad little girl.  A penny might not mean much to most of us but to others these small things are still grand.  Thank you!  And Happy Spring!