I saw a girl wearing short shorts and flip-flops the other day, so it must be.... above freezing in Calgary!
Seriously though, the beginning of April seems to have literally and figuratively brought with it the parting of the clouds, the shining of the sun, and the singing of the birds. After a winter with unusual snow cover and a March without any warm, sunny days to break up the cold, everyone's spirits are lifting with this change in the weather. In the mornings as I walk to work I can feel the frost crunching out of the ground as I cross the park. At the end of the day I pick my way through the vast puddles that have formed. The last few days I've wakened to the sound of robins chirping outside. Monday was the first day this year that I played with the kids outside in the backyard when I got home from work. A couple more nice days (which are in the forecast), and the snow will be completely gone. What more could anyone ask for at this time of year?
I am a college instructor in my "real job", and although I truly do love teaching, I sometimes joke that I convinced myself that I love teaching just so that I could have a job with the summers off so I could garden! But with the winter semester wrapping up at the same time as the snow is finally melting, I am truly feeling that one of the reasons I love my job is that it is in tune with nature's cycles. Is that a stretch? No, I don't think so. I love teaching but the semesters are long, intense work, and I am as relieved as the students once it is over. Now we are all crawling out of our caves of winter classes and exams, stretching our limbs and turning our faces towards the sun.
Welcome, spring!
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