Spring has sprung!  Yes!  Definitely! Living in a place that has four complete seasons is truly amazing.  We welcome the arrival of each one with delight. Even winter. The first snowfall is always magical, and the fall colors are so beautiful it sometimes makes you wonder how on Earth is this even possible. The blazing warmth of the lazy summer is oh! so great too! Spring is the loveliest one, all in softness and pastel colors,  It’s like waking up from a long numbing sleep.  Like all the weight is lifted from your shoulders and you feel brand new. Energy comes back with the lengthening of days.  You don’t feel tired even when robins or cardinals sing their little hearts out at 4 am and you have a long day ahead.  It’s just too beautiful (and short) to waste it away.

Hello April!  I have missed you! After one of the coldest and longest (not totally gone yet) winters, I’m so glad you are making your annual appearance.  You may be full of rain, but I welcome you with arms wide open.  I can finally walk on grass.  I have gardening plans for the weekend, yes, gardening!  Even though it’s just getting the grounds clean and ready, it’s a start and I’ll take it!  I have ordered some new flower seeds and bulbs to liven up my yard. Each year I promise myself I’m not going to buy more, but here I am again, waiting for some new plants.  Lettuce, herbs and chard are sprouting on the window sill, other veggies will soon follow.  I can’t wait to put my hands in the dirt!  What a treat!  You know, I’m not such a fancy lady, dirt and manure are just fine 🙂

When this year started I wished for less, not more.  Less stress, less worries, less clutter.  I wanted to get my yoga routine back and even meditate more.  It turns out, that I now work even more hours, so finding the time to reconnect with my inner zen self is harder than expected.  I do need the extra hours ( and money, of course) but between work, kids and all the extra-curricular activities, some days, I get ten minutes in the bathtub without interruption and that’s my me time.  It’s a good me time, but I was craving, and still am, for more.

You’re going to be 11 on St. Patrick’s  Day.  My little  good luck charm as I so often call you. It’s true, since you came into my life, you only brought smiles, light and so much love.  You still hug me as tight.  You still kiss me good morning and goodnight.  You are my serious and responsible one.  You always choose what’s right and fair, you put others before yourself.  You are wise for your age.  But, in all that seriousness, sometimes you allow a little silliness to show.  That’s when the light you carry shines the brightest.  The twinkle in your eye, the goofy smile, it’s all there, and it’s all good.

The joys of winter!  It does sound romantic to people who get snow once a year, they all wait anxiously to go out sledding, and take those perfect big chunks of snowflakes falling photos. In reality, when you do live in some parts of Canada, when comes February, the romance has long gone.  The snow is brown.  Mixed with abrasives and all the dirt from cars.  The ground is still frozen solid this year.  We’ve had a very cold one.  Trouble is you can’t predict winter.  It could be a mild one, and you get to see some grass by March or, you can freeze your butt off until the end of April.