here, the earth is all a’bloom. one day, i wished for buds and blossoms. a few days later, it seemed, i saw soft fuzzy pussy willow buds. a few days later, it seemed, every tree had exploded into bloom and wildflowers were waving at me from the grass. (today, my favorite is the tiny wild violet.)

here, the sun is bright and the days are warm. atlas is in summer mode, rolling on the green grass, napping in the shade, and complaining about walks in the sunshine. today, he followed a tiny frog around the yard. every few steps, he’d nose it curiously and then wrinkle his nose and shake his head.

here, my arms are red – after peeling a five gallon bucket of carrots in the sunshine without sunscreen. and tired – after a week spent spring cleaning my grandparents’ yard (with the exception of the four largest downed branches, which i left for others, because i grew bored of sawing before they broke in two and my dad didn’t think i could start the chainsaw). there are ice cream cones on the deck, games of tennis, and bare feet on the grass. it is possible that i will attempt a swim soon, even though the water is almost as cold as ice.

here, spring and summer arrive in tandem. i had forgotten this. (and still, yes still, there are patches of snow.)