The light pours in from the southeast making the room golden in the early morning. It is shortly after 6:00 a.m. and I know the sun will not rise over the horizon for another 30 minutes but it is bright enough to pull me from my dreams.
The angle of the sun, it’s early rise and the fact it is now rising in the sky on the north side of the old maple tree tells me that spring is here. The meteorological spring started March 1st and we have a few weeks to wait for the astronomical spring which is March 20th. No matter what the dates are the world around me is pushing the idea of spring.
The sun is up, the crocus and daffodils are trying to grow. The maple seed pods are bursting – you can see the change day to day waving high in the tops of the trees. The wind has shifted blowing the last of the fall seeds into the air.
(photo is last years – purchase of flowers because I couldn’t wait)
Laying here watching the light change I think of spring long ago when I was younger. The smells of damp soil, the greening of the world around me, the pale colors of early flowers – apple blossoms, crocus, aconites, lilacs. I remember many spring days walking home from school and getting in trouble for taking my shoes off and walking home in bare feet, or socks. As I got older my mother thought it necessary to wear nylons I also walked home without shoes shredding the bottoms and leaving little runs crawling up my legs. (She was a gardener but loved her frilly, lady clothes – I am a gardener and love my jeans and clogs – so much easier to slip into bare feet that way.)
Anyway, the morning dawns with thoughts of spring and as I pull myself up I feel the cool – no the cold air pushing against the window and filtering in. It is spring but we are in Minnesota where winter does not let go quite as easily as we would like some days. The temperature outside as I head to the shower is 7 degrees with a wind chill of minus eight. There is snow if the forecast for the weekend. 
We will hunker down once again and wait for March 20th hoping it brings the warm weather of my imagined spring.
Words from JL 
The warm weather we have been having here in PA has me spoiled for an early spring. Today I woke up to 32 degrees and snow covering everything. Hopes are dashed.
Oh I know that feeling! I just keep telling myself real spring will come!
I was fooled by false spring last week, though today it’s snowing in Connecticut. But, oh, those first spring-like days bring buds of hope and new energy bursting forth from within me like crocuses. Enjoy yours!
Spring in northern NH is just as fleeting! It will come eventually.