The first blooms of spring always make my heart sing.~S. Brown~

Like many of you, spring is the season I most anticipate.  I watch for that first blooming crocus; I even enjoy spotting the first dandelion. I pour over photos of a spring trip my husband and I took to view the brilliantly colored tulips in Amsterdam. The blaze of yellows, reds, pinks, and purples was a banquet for the eyes and a fragrant delight for the nose. Visiting Washington, D.C., to view the pink cherry blossoms reflected in the Potomac River near our nation’s monuments is another memory that makes my heart sing.

On our way to Gulf Shores, Alabama, this February, I watched for signs of spring: green fields and the first flowering tree. When I spotted the redbud, a small lavender tree, my hope for spring intensified. I knew that soon the azalea bushes would show off their pink, red, coral, and lavender blossoms.

 Where flowers bloom, so does hope.~Lady Bird Johnson~

Spring is the season of hope. As my husband and I ride our bikes past marshes, I listen for the call of a red-wing blackbird. That call takes me back to childhood when I lived near a pond. Hearing their call signaled that carefree summer days would soon be upon me. Days when I could daydream, build forts, catch turtles and frogs, and write stories in my spiral notebook.

Spring's greatest joy, beyond a doubt, is when it brings the children out.~Edgar Guest~

My husband and I attended a Mardi Gras parade recently. My attention left the decorated floats where people tossed moon pies, hula hoops, beads, toys, and candy so I could watch the children. Several ran squealing to snatch goodies, while two little girls danced to the music. Watching uninhibited children freely spin and bounce with joy renews the spirit.

Spring won't let me stay in this house any longer! I must get out and breathe the air deeply again.~Gustav Mahler~

It’s not only children who are itching to get outdoors again or be more active. Dig out the baseballs, tennis rackets, or basketballs. Fill the bike tires with air. Find those hiking boots. Or maybe your dancing shoes.

Spring is Nature's Way of Saying, '' Let's Party!’’~Robin Williams~

Spring weather gives many of us renewed energy. I had the chance to join fellow “seniors” when a friend hosted a dance party. The partiers, who were mostly in their 70s and 80s, knew how to have a good time. We did the Charleston, Electric Slide, Macarena, YMCA, and the polka. One senior never missed a dance and could have rocked and rolled all night.

Spring is the Time of Plans and Projects. ~Leo Tolstoy~

Are you itching to organize the garage or redecorate? Are you inspired to get to that project that’s been niggling at your brain for months? Are you eager to garden and enjoy home-grown produce such as strawberries or asparagus? I started my own mini-garden today. I’m growing microgreens (sprouts and mustard greens), which I’ll add to salads to give them that spring-like pizazz. My husband and I are working up to tackling cleaning out the garage attic, but it’ll have to be a rainy day before we do that. (It’s been on our list for ten years.)

"Nothing ever seems impossible in spring, you know.”~L.M. Montgomery~

Whether it’s hoping to hear the call of the red-winged blackbird or cleaning out the garage attic, spring is a fresh start and makes all things seem possible.

What sounds, smells, and sights do you look forward to in the spring?