Saturday, March 9, 2019

It's Almost Time to Dig in the Dirt

This post is for Day 9 of the 2019 Slice of Life Challenge. Thanks to the Two Writing Teachers for bringing this community of writers together to share our writing in the month of March.

We change the time tonight and spring forward. These days our clocks will automatically jump to the next hour in the middle of the night. While I hate losing an hour of sleep, I can hear the whisper of spring and it makes me smile. Today, the sun is shining and it will be nearly 50 degrees. I sense new beginnings in the air. Spring comes in whispers.

In my garden, I see green tips of daffodils and crocuses pushing through the dark earth. The peonies are sending their dart red shoots into the air. I can count on my perennials to be the first to wish me a happy spring. I walk the yard picking up pine cones that have dropped from the tree at the corner of our house.

I have been receiving seed and bulb catalogs in the mail. I turn the pages with wonder at the beautiful colors of spring and summer blooms. I notice a spring sale at the local nursery. I may have to make a trip there today. I am itching to get started in my garden. I begin to plan the annuals that I'll want to plant. Always dahlias. Surely some coleus (the beautiful pink and green ones I found last year). Large green ferns nestled under the trees.

It's time to arrange the stones in my garden. They are a collection of unusual stones that my husband has collected and that one special stone - a piece of petrified wood that used to be in my dad's garden. It sits in my garden now as an instigator of memories.

I'll put out the hummingbird feeders soon. The hummingbirds should start showing up in April as they migrate from the south. I love watching out my window as they come to feed. Tiny visitors with their whirring wings hovering at the feeder as they drink the nectar I have made for them.

I dig out my garden gloves, shovels and rakes that sat in the corner of the garage all winter. The air whispers of spring. The birds chirp and spread their melodies through the air. And I am ready for sunshine and warm breezes. Spring brings me new beginnings and that annual itch to dig in the dirt.