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If we had no Winter, Spring would not be as pleasant

Signs of spring can sometimes feel a world away after a seemingly endless winter. There is beauty to be found in the snowy slowness that is winter. However, I find it easier to behold the keys to contentment with the unthawing of Lake Erie. These changes typically start sometime between mid-February and mid-March.

There is a weather proverb that states, “Bluebirds are a sign of spring; warm weather and gentle south breezes they bring,” and this appears to be true in the northern tier of the United States. The first sign of spring for me has always been backyard birds and this year is no different. The quietness I grew used to over the last few months has begun to disperse into a cacophony of familiar bird calls.

Celebrating each change in seasons is my own way of remaining interconnected with the world around me. I begin and end each season with a simple writing assignment.

Here is the template for a transition out of winter:

  • What did you learn this season?
  • What are you grateful for?
  • How can I make the next season better for myself and my community?
  • What am I most looking forward to in the season to come?

It’s incredible to witness the similarities in my thoughts and actions that are dependent upon the environment around me. In winter there is a great stillness, it’s a time of turning inward, it’s a time to rest. In spring we are planting the ideas that we dreamt of in the months prior. Snowdrops begin poking up their small white heads. Yesterday the ground was covered in snow but today there’s a freshness in the air, a humming in the trees … life is stirring.

The first signs of spring are here, so what will you do to restore your connection with nature? Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District has advocated for conservation of our natural resouces for more than 70 years. Like our Facebook & Instagram accounts to stay up to date on ways to get involved. Plant a garden, pick up litter, plant a tree, and compost!

Blog Author: Nikole Davis, NowCorps Member

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