Spring Watch in Wisconsin

My long-time readers (I think I do have a few) might remember how I posted last year about longing for winter to end. It happens every year in March. We start watching for signs of spring, even as the snow flies and the wind howls. Spring begins (according to the calendar) on March 21st. But March is tricky in Wisconsin, often turning out to be the month of greatest snowfall, ice storms, wind, and general wintery gloom. It is frustrating, because we realize that much of the rest of the country is out tilling the garden, opening the windows and have long since put away their winter coats. When we first came to Wisconsin as new pastors we tried an Easter sunrise service. We shivered in a chilly rain and saw nary a glimpse of the sun.

January and February tend to bring out the worst in us. People are sleepy, grumpy, edgy, quiet and a bit depressed. BUT we all continue to have hope that spring is on the way. We know it comes eventually.

Some signs:

Our piles of snow have melted in an unseasonable streak of weather in the 50s. It is going to be below freezing next week again, but once we have a taste of a March thaw we start anticipating.

The tiny creek behind my house has become a raging torrent several feet across and is tossing trash, tree limbs and chunks of snow as it burbles along. I don't even mind that the sump pump in the basement awakens me several times a night. It is all part of watching for spring.

A friend swears she saw a robin. I haven't, but I'll take her word.

Speaking of robins, I actually heard birdsong this morning.

The squirrels are twitterpateed, full of energy, and showing off for each other.

Daylight Savings Time!

A teenager was spied dressed in shorts.

The pussywillow bush is budding! YAY! I hope that it doesn't get blasted with an ice storm, as happened last year.

AND...see the post below.