The Senses of Spring

It has been an interesting week of weather here in Crosby, ND.  The temperatures have gone up and down, with the lowest temperature being 3 degrees and the highest 57 degrees. A graph of the highs and lows for each days looks somewhat like a zigzag stitch on a sewing machine.  The constant through it all was the wind.  It seemed, if I was patient, the wind would usually die down later in the evening.

On Thursday I had put off walking outdoors due to both the temperature and the wind.  About 5pm my supper went in the oven, and would take about an hour to bake.  After a bit of a "self pep talk" I decided to head out to get in a few steps before supper.

The breeze hitting my face was brisk, not at all what you would traditionally expect for mid-April.  As I walked, however, my senses detected other signs which would put winter in the past.  There was an odor in the air which is evident every spring as our sewage lagoon (a/k/a "The Stink Slough") thaws.  My nose was telling me it was indeed spring.

As I reached the outside edge of town my ears picked up another sure sign of spring. . .the song of one of our state birds, a meadowlark.  How do you describe the sound of a meadowlark?  It is a very distinct song, with a few slow notes, followed by a series of faster notes that trail off.  It is a sound you rarely hear unless you are in the country, or close to it.

Turning back toward home, I was greeted by an ominous dark cloud, reminiscent of the ones seen before a snowstorm. 

The wind had picked up again, and I walked a little faster.  About a block or so later something white began to appear in the air.  They weren't exactly snowflakes, but the little dots of white found a home on my dark purple jacket, indicating not a sign of spring, but a lingering memory of winter.

According to the calendar, spring technically begins on March 20th, but my senses were giving me mixed signals.  Thankfully, however, history tells me eventually all signs will point to spring, and there will be warmer days ahead.

God has certainly blessed us with the ability to observe the world around us.  Eyes to see, ears to hear, a nose to smell, a mouth to taste, and hands to touch and feel.  COVID-19 has limited our ability to interact with others, but there is still so much to capture with our senses.  Take time to get some fresh air this week, and remember to thank God while you're doing so!