Even though the calendar says spring arrived March 20^th, I don’t believe it. Where I live, it’s still grey, windy, and COLD.  This past Wednesday, when I woke up there was about 2-3 inches of SNOW on the ground! There has been the tease of spring – one or two days, here and there, but not Spring Spring – you know what I mean?  

Enough is enough! After an exceptionally LONG seemingly endless winter season spent in lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, I’m really ready for spring.  Nature is supposed to be awakening after winter, especially this past winter. So, where are those welcoming signs of spring?

Yellow daffodils tried cheering us up but ended up being covered in snow. I must admit there are more birds at several of my feeders, but the day it snowed they were clinging for dear life on our suet feeder, because the wind was blowing so hard. Tree buds resting dormant since autumn are ready to burst into leaf WHEN there’s enough sunlight. Many trees do flower around this time.  Near us there are several magnolia trees, and their beautiful waxy blooms were out one day and the next, sadly fallen on snowy ground. And where is that noisy buzz of a lawn mower for the first time in a year? Where is that intoxicating smell of newly cut grass which is an exciting sign of picnics and lazy summer days to come?

 But today, as I stepped outside to get the newspaper, I saw a small brown field mouse dart across the sidewalk! I haven’t seen those little guys since last year. When temperatures drop these little guys seek out warmth and food. Outdoors, they burrow into the ground to rest and bear their young. However, when the ground starts to thaw, and the temperatures gradually begin to get warmer, they decide it’s time to come out of their winter comfy nest-y burrows. To me, seeing that little mouse, meant that despite the current weather, perhaps spring is here.

So, while back inside thoroughly enjoying my cup of tea, buttery toast and reading the paper, my mind started to wander, and I imagined little mice enjoying tea and cake.  While some may think me odd, imaging animals having tea, especially rodents I smiled and happily thought… spring is perhaps finally here. The mice are having a springtime tea party!