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Spring Fever

It’s been a long, cold winter. Okay, not that cold. After all, we live in Southeastern Alabama and the last brutal snowstorm just flurried right on north without leaving even a dusting here. And today the weatherman made my week. I wanted to hug him when he said temperatures will be climbing right on up to my favorite zone…the low to mid-eighties by the first day of March.

By the Grace of God, Bruce and I escaped Covid and have now had both doses of the vaccine. But I can tell you with certainty that I will not escape spring fever. Never have or ever will. It’s my favorite time of year. In this climate we have already been blessed with daffodil and amaryllis blooms, and today I noticed the pink Japanese maple trees are starting to bloom. Soon the blueberries, azaleas, spirea, Bradford pears, and many others will follow suit, and the birds will fill the air with their music. The city will be alive with the sights and sounds of spring. I’m starting to itch already. 😉

This afternoon, right outside my office window, I had a bird’s-eye view of a flock of cedar waxwings landing in the holly tree and devouring the lush red berries, as they do every year. What a beautiful creature and awesome sight to see closeup.

But my favorite of all things spring is the day the first hummingbird returns. It’s most always mid-March, but since I once had an early arrival and was unprepared, I put out fresh nectar a week ago in mid-February. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any that stayed all winter this year like we’ve had several times, but now it doesn’t bother me if they go on south every fall. That way, I don’t worry about the tiny creatures freezing to death or have to get up at daybreak and replace the feeders of frozen nectar with warm ones when we have our few freezing nights. Still, it is bittersweet. I miss them.

Comments are welcome. What’s your favorite season of the year?