Mantra this morning. No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn (Hal Borland) Thank the Lord. I realize that it is a wee bit too early to say spring has sprung. Valentine is a mid point in February which brings us closer. It is raining!! That is a good sign. Right? I can even see a smidge of g-r-a-s-s. Woohoo. Two days ago I woke up to some playful birds flitting and chirping, carrying on in the backyard. It was a sight for sore eyes; or I mean a sound for the quieted ears of winter. It’s a hibernation wakeup!! Yes.
Does nature know way before when the seasons will change? Of course having a day set aside, a real date in time, which I believe to be March 20th this year, holds the anticipative ‘change’. But that fools us just like Wiarton Willy, the groundhog and its shadow on Feb 2nd, that supposedly gives us a ray of hope for an early spring. Let’s face it, March is not necessarily known for its debonair gift of blessed great weather. The old adage of March coming in like a lamb and going out like a lion…well it can come in like a lion and go out like one too. Where in the world do these old wives’ tales come from?! However, my daughter whose birthday is at the end of this month shares with me that winter is closing down. Hmmm
And yet, the little signs of spring keep tickling me. Teasing me. Waving its’ carrot. I felt that hint of the mild and newness. A gentle sweeping coming over me in that old familiar feeling and smell of warmth as I walked out to add two more recycling items to the blue bag. Trying to hurry before the recycling crew came, I just slipped on my boots and went out without a coat and I was not shivering me timbers. No frost on windshields of the cars, snow was not as crunchy underneath, and the dawn…oh the dawn chorus…sun filtering through the haze of early break of day. Early! Woohoo! I welcome the longer days. Another hint of spring??
Last evening after dinner, we popped out for a bit to find some of those elusive treat: cheese popcorn, Bits and Bites and cheese dip/crackers as well as wanting to find an organizer for toys for the never ending mess of play 🙂 of my granddaughter. Yes, treats healthy and specific; need to fill the treat cupboard especially for the little one. Funnily, all three snacks have been hard to come by lately, not sure why. Not a Kellog’s product. So snack attack….road trip….off and hunting.
What I noticed while out close to half past 5 pm, the sun was still heavy in the sky. I mean it was still daylight, no gathering darkness. How do you spell relief? No hat, no mitts. Well, hat still but no mitts for the little one as we got out and started to walk in the parking lot, holding her tiny hands. Upon entering the store, shades and hues of colour and articles assail the eyes as the shelves are lined with displaying the oncoming spring fare and activity. You know the look where one finds a bounty of eye-catching organizers (the ever looming spring cleaning declutter), barbecue utensils (cannot wait for camping and fireside chats), Easter cuisine (look out Lent and hopping bunny), seeds and sod (smell of red dirt), delightful rain gear, and floral. I’ll take it…for now. Just to know that winter does not last forever and spring does not skip its turn.
I realize the last vestiges of winter will bring slush and mud and puddles and car washes on repeat. But alas. So what! Are you kidding me! Sign me up. I am ready for the ungluing of parka-boots-mitts-shovel in hand and say hello to messy spring. You heard me. Messy. Spring. What an oxymoron!! Yes, I want spring to come but it can be messy and unpredictable. On the one hand, there is the sunny clear blue skies, with a few fluffy clouds and then the next day cold biting wind followed by rain. The ground goes from walkable delight to knee deep in mud and muck, even pelts of snow.
Maybe it is too soon to be toting the placard “bring on spring”. But there is nothing wrong with seeking out its allusion, welcoming in the beginning stages of thawing and melting. Although transitions can be tough on the mind and body, they can also be an awakening to the stirrings inside. I think of nature’s seasons connecting to the seasons in one’s life. Nothing stands still. Not in nature and certainly not in one’s life unless you feel stuck in a particular season. Which can very well happen.
So when thinking of moving from winter to spring, there is a transitional period of sorts that enters the body, mind and spirit and physical being…inviting a change. A transformation. Yes, I like that way of thinking because it is a slow process. As the ground thaws, it begins to allow for opportunity and resurrection of new and rebirth. A natural order. Does that not reflect the season of life in each of us? A transition, unsettling and provocative, as a natural change occurs within. The temporal nature of seasons of life come to bear fruit within….seeking or adapting to whatever comes. For now, no winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.
Blessings.
Let us pray for those in need of prayers today. Peace.
Karenpondering 
Hello Karen!!!! My goodness it has been a while! Today your blog just popped up on my Facebook, which I have just recently hooked into. I have learned to never say never. I had no interest in Facebook but I had some things I wanted to get rid of and several friends said to try Facebook market place. So I gave it a go. Sold some stuff and realized at the same time a new way to connect with friends and since retirement I must say I’m slowly getting the hang of it!
Thank you for your new mantra!!! I’m with you…. bring on spring!!!!
Hope you and your family are all well and safe! I’ll be looking for more posts!!
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Hi Kimm. Oh my. How are you doing? I have a smile on my face. What a lovely surprise to see your name and responding to my blog! Thank you. Yes I have my blog attached to Facebook. I do not go on a lot but I go on sometimes. Welcome. I hope marketplace is successful for you. There is nothing like a bit of spring cleaning. Congratulations on your retirement. It does take some time getting used to a different routine. September was quite interesting for the first couple of years but now it is a wonderful month to enjoy. One I missed out on as a teacher in many respects. I hope you are well and family too. I pray for you my friend. I am glad you enjoyed the blog….spring cannot come soon enough. I am just trying to see the silver lining again as snow fell hard. Yikes. On strike from shovelling today. Haha. Be good to yourself and thank you for the response.
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Hello again Karen,
So very good to hear your voice through your words!!!! My eyes are twinkling seeing your smile on your face!!
I must say this whole Facebook is still very new to me and not being techy at all, it’s taking a long time to figure things out. I’m actually surprized I managed the blog!
Is this the best venue to communicate or would personal email be better?
We have just had another storm here as well. I am not a winter fan any more, so I am with you and ready for spring. You must get very severe winter weather on the island. PEI is so beautiful!!! I remember it as a kid touring with my parents. I must get back sometime, whenever that may be.
My retirement was a very quick decision, really made in a couple of weeks towards the end of June 2020 and for a number of reasons. I always said I wanted to retire when I still loved teaching and having been on lock down for the 1st time as a result of the pandemic, I wasn’t sure I was going to ‘LOVE’ it the way I wanted to in my heart. so that was a big deciding factor. Also we now have a little granddaughter as well. Adalynn Mae. She brings us such joy as I’m very sure you can relate too!!! I’m pretty sure you know Matthew became a police office with Peel Regional Police. He is now a detective and his wife is a Paramedic, also with Peel. Well…… I had to eat my words because I had told them I wouldn’t be the daycare Grandma because I wanted Addy to come to us for fun and not because she had too. Well guess what, I’m the day care Grandma. LOL!!!! However, not full time. Amen. You forget how exhausting it is to take care of an infant, well, a toddler now. Addy is 2. Guess there is a reason we have our children in our 20’s and 30’s. We get her about 1 1/2 – 2 days a week, but that vary’s if Katelin takes Addy to her parents, which se usually does every other month. Plus, they both seem to accumulate extra overtime, so they have additional days they take off. It is just a true blessing to have her. I am also doing some supply a at HFA in and around our Addy time. So retirement is actually busy!! I do manage so lunches and social activities with my friends as well. All in all retirement is pretty sweet!!!!
I do believe your blog popped up for me for a reason!! Here it is. In March Kevin went for his 5 year and all was clear. Amen. However in June he was having some flank pain. Funny enough he had just gone for an abdominal CT about 3 days before. While at the hospital he had them check the CT and they found a mass on the same kidney that had the 1st cancer. So needless to say a shock that a mass had grown that quickly (3-4cm) from a clear screening in March. He had several tests, scans and a stent put in. This relieved the pressure which resolved the pain. In September he had the left kidney removed . 19 lymph nodes were removed and 14 of those had evidence of cancer, which was of concern. He needed a bone scan and a specific CT to rule out cancer in other organs, brain and his bones before treatment could begin. The results were positive in that all those areas were clear of cancer. However, there were 2-3 questionable lymph nodes that they could not confirm whether or not they were cancerous as they were enlarged and inflamed and not clear on the CT. The oncologist felt we should assume it was active cancer and sent us to Sunnybrook Cancer Centre for further investigations. He signed up for a trial but was disqualified just before starting treatment because one of the lymph nodes is encased by an artery. That was a bit hard to hear. The good news is he can still receive treatment. This is the treatment they have been using for years and they only difference is in the oral pill he takes. He is getting immunotherapy plus an oral pill. He began treatment January 27. He has Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma . This is the rarer kidney cancer. The more common is clear cell. So we now have a new normal to adjust to.
So my friend I think you blog came at a time when I needed to hear your voice and words of inspiration and encouragement . God is looking out for me. He is hearing that I/we need the prayers of friends. Yours have always been strong and so I ask for those prayers for Kevin and our family.
On a happier note, Emma is well, is 30 and loving being Auntie Em! Addy is amazing with her, pushes her wheelchair around the house, sits on her knee, goes for rides on her wheelchair, (she sits on the footplates), helps her with her hands. Addy is learning empathy and compassion in real life experiences.
Well Iv’e written a short story it looks like!! Thank you for taking to time to reach out, to read my story but mostly for the prayers I know will start to flow. God bless.
Kimm
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Hi Kimm.
You are way to kind with your words. Thank you.
If you would like to share a longer thought yes it might be better with personal email. I am going to contact you on FaceBook through messenger and start there if you would like.
FaceBook is intuitive once you get the nuances of it.
It is up to you how much time you spend on it or not. I go on it once in awhile.
Once again it is humbling to me as you share your story. I am praying for you and your family. Just so you know.
Yes winter is crazy all over. So my standoff is not working. Haha. Snow it is for now. Alas February is still very much winter.
I will catch you on FaceBook. Look in Messenger for further response. Okay.
Be good to yourself.
Karen
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