March has always been a crazy month – volatile, unpredictable, kind of like the stock market at the moment.   You can expect snow, sleet, rain, howling winds, warm breezes, sunny days, gray skies or all of the above.   Despite the Rodent and Company’s optimistic predictions for an early spring we have not had very many warm days and the few we did have were overcast.   In fact March came in like a lion with a big snowstorm, so hopefully it will go out like a lamb.  (It did not….3 C – 37 F today).

Thankfully, the snow melted quickly, like the wicked witch of the west – revealing snow drops a few days later.

I have a lovely view from my kitchen window as my neighbor has about ten clumps of them scattered around the base of an old tree, like a little fairy woodland.

The daffodil shoots were up the first week, growing by leaps and bounds. 

Our imaginations can leap forward to this vista of sunny yellow.

On St. Patrick’s Day we had grocery shelves reminiscent of the great Potato Famine, 

but a spring rain changed the grass to Shamrock green overnight,

which was then covered up by more snow on March 23….ugh….

This is Spring?

The library might be closed due to COVID-19, 

but the crocuses in front of it were open for business.

The robins were back,

and the tundra swans crossed the border early because our Prime Minister had ordered all international travelers home!

They winter in Chesapeake Bay and rest at the Thedford Bog, an Ontario marshland, before flying on to their breeding grounds in the Arctic. 

The March winds were brisk and perfect for kite flying.   There were rare sightings of children in the park trying this ancient activity, well their dad was trying.   They looked too young and seemed more interested in examining the ground as toddlers like to do, while the dad was busy untangling the string.    (No picture as he couldn’t get it airborne).

“Airborne” by Joni’s mom

I’ve never seen so many people out walking before, entire families have taken up the joy of exercise and their dogs are happy too.   I met Millie a Golden Retriever puppy who was ecstatic at being in The Great Outdoors, but at 12 weeks soon tired of walking and had to be carried home.  

We might be out of bread and soup,

but they will return, just like these old faithful perennials.

These dandelions need to practice social distancing….

On March 25, there was finally a day warm enough to sit on the front porch, sheltered from the wind, with a magazine and a mug of tea.   It’s so nice to feel the sun on your face after a long cold lonely winter (the Beatles).  

While the stores and restaurants may be closed and the grocery shelves empty, we can replenish our souls with nature and rejoice!   May the Gods of Spring place a pox on COVID-19!

PS.  As other people have observed, this crisis may be the Earth’s way of healing from all the climate change, by calling a time out – a message from Mother Nature.