Sweet March - Spring is on its Way!

"It's spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"  ~Mark Twain

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THE MONTH of March -- the very sound of it makes me happy, because it means that winter is on its way out and spring is on its way in.  The promise of flowers, more daylight and warmer weather makes my heart and soul smile!  Each season has an abundance of beauty to offer, but I am a flower girl and spring means flowers.

As I write this, the sun is shining brightly and the sky is a deep and beautiful blue.  It is warm in the sun, but cold and frosty in the shade.  The mornings have been very cold, but the sun warms things up nicely.

There are a lot of telltale signs that spring really is on its way.  If we take our cues from nature, we see the beginnings of spring everywhere we look: daffodils and tulips are beginning to poke out of the ground, crocuses and snowdrops are already blooming and buds are bursting from the trees and shrubs (it seems like just yesterday that they lost their leaves).

My very favorite bush, Daphne Odora is beginning to bud out as well.  I’ve noticed a lot of robins in the yard and just a few days ago, the pair of mallard ducks that show up every spring arrived ahead of schedule.  They were standing in the exact same spot as they stand in every year – as if to say, ‘Hi…were back!’.   I have also noticed the unmistakable ‘V’ formation of Canada geese, which is synonymous with spring migration.

Did you know that Daylight Savings Time begins on March 11 this year?  Didn’t this used to happen in April?  Does anyone know why it changed?  I’m not complaining though.  As much as I love the warmer weather, the plants, birds, etc…I do believe that hands down, my favorite part of spring is the promise of longer days.  The evenings are beginning to stretch out longer and we can go outside for awhile after work and dinner.  The kids are outside playing again, which is such a welcome sound after the quiet of winter. 

If you want to see exactly how much daylight we’re gaining, check out this website:  http://www.sunrisesunset.com/predefined.asp

When you select a city and check ‘Day length’, a calendar will be produced for your city that keeps track of sunrise, sunset and day length.  Seattle is one of the selected cities and when I pulled up the information for February, I was pleased to see that we gained an hour and a half of daylight!  And we will gain another hour and 43 minutes in March.  Who’s keeping track?  I am!

Winter could still make a resurgence, but if it does, it can't last for long.  Spring is coming, and it won't be long now!

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Marilyn Hendrickson is a transplant from Montana who has lived in the Kirkland area since 1985. After graduating from Montana State, she relocated and immediately fell in love with the Northwest's nature and beauty. She volunteers weekly at the shelter in Houghton and enjoys cooking, reading, wine-tasting and spending time with friends and family.