We woke up this morning to the song of a robin.  I hadn’t heard that sound for months.  This bird had perched itself on the branch of the tree outside our window.  It just sang away…top of it’s lungs…not holding back.

As I listened to the song, my mind drifted to all the new flowers that I am dreaming about planting…the new beds that I want to create.  I could clearly see the flowers in full bloom.  I could smell the fragrant earth. I imagined the fresh flowers that I will pick to fill up all the vases that will be placed in all the rooms of our house.

So imagine my shock when I got up and opened the curtains expecting a full blown spring experience…instead of color bursting forth…snow is still on the ground.  Trees still look dormant.  The ground is still quiet on the surface. I had a moment of confusion.  But, then I heard the robin again.  It was hoping around on the ground…singing about something. 

After pouring myself some coffee, I went outside.  Hidden against the dark brown of the soil, against the white of the snow, I saw little signs of green.  Little things peeking out of the soil.  I closed my eyes to smell the rich smells…and tuned into more birds.  Lots of little finches were singing in the trees…dancing about…chatting about all sorts of stuff.  I opened my eyes.

Took another sip of coffee.

To the right of me was one our furry bunny friends.  It was busy eating something…stopping to listen…then chewing again.

Sometimes, my yard feels like I am walking into a Highlights magazine.  Do you remember that magazine when you were a kid?  The one they had in the doctors office?  I loved the section where they had a picture and there were things hidden in the picture to find.  A toaster in a tree.  A face in a trunk.  A bird in the shape of a cloud.

That’s what it is like in my yard.  If I stand quiet for awhile….a whole world shows itself to me.  I haven’t found a toaster in a tree yet…but, last year I found an old cup under a bush!  And this morning, I found spring.  Hidden under the snow.  Right there.

The calendar says it is not quite time…but, what the hell does a silly old calendar know anyway???

Spring is right here.

Right under the snow.

Maybe there are other things right here.  Things that I have been looking for.  Things that I thought I lost.  Things that I have thought to be permanently frozen in time. Maybe I just need to sit quietly and tune in…and they will be there.

Quietly whispering.

Loudly singing.

Just below the surface.

Right under the snow.