SIGNS OF SPRING

You in the frozen north are more than overdue for some thawing relief. March in the north can be a real mixed bag, as I remember, with brief hints of spring followed by one last snow storm. I hope relief is on the way for you.

We have had gorgeous weather here the last few weeks with warm days without humidity and cool nights. Now I am perceiving the subtle signs of spring which are not so obvious as they are in the north. Some of the signs are:

(1) The air is getting a softness, a gentle touch where, even when the winds come up, the bite of the wind is missing,

(2) The nights are softer and the stars even brighter. We are blessed with relatively unpolluted skies so the stars are a great display.

(3) The leaves of the trees are glistening with new growth. In late winter the leaves start gradually to fall, but the trees are never bare. Now the new growth is taking off.

(4) The woodpeckers in the dead palm next to our house are back home in the palm and very active. The female is always pecking away, arranging the nest holes. They are either gone further south in the so-called winter or hibernating. Every morning, when I go out to get the paper delivered to my driveway, they sound off. It's probably a warning, "Look out , the big jerk's around," or, I choose to think, they're saying, "Good morning!" Whatever, they're back and great fun to watch. Fortunately, there's no wood in my house: a tile roof, stucco, plastic and aluminum are the main materials, although I hear them in the early mornings pecking at the tile roof.

In another few weeks in April, the humidity will rise and the temperatures start to soar, so we enjoy this brief episode of spring. Carpe diem!