Signs of Spring

The signs are everywhere. The Mergansers and the Blue Heron have returned to the lake even though there is still almost no open water for fishing. There are large numbers of enormous crows in the woods near Mountain Road. Hawks glide and float above the mountain. The smaller birds are mating with little decorum.

A deer came down out of the woods when Kenya and I were walking past Rose Marie's house.

There isn't much snow left in the woods now.

The sound of water rushing down the mountain to the lake is one of the more vocal signs. Pike Lake Road responds to the water by crumbling away. I just learned that the municipality will not be building a by-pass. Too bad. It would have been nice to see the end of the logging trucks that have done so much damage to the road this year, and the beginning of a path by the lake that would be restricted to foot traffic.



So far things here are still grey and dun coloured, but there is the odd bit of green showing up where it is fed by the running water, and on the verges of Suncrest where I walk Wilbur, I saw flashes of bright yellow yesterday.

But the best signs of spring for me are elusive, intangible, ephemeral.

The butterflies romp in the air moving too quickly for me to catch them with the camera. Monarchs ... others sporting muddier oranges ... and larger ones with black wings fringed by white edges.

Remi does try to catch them. He bounces at the butterflies, leaps on their shadows, and runs after leaves scattering in the wind. Occasionally he catches a leaf and figures he has won the battle of the butterflies.

He loves the puddles, paddling through them, and peeing in them.

I love the energy I am seeing emerge a little more every day, and love that my own energy levels rise to meet it.