spring!!!!

Spring is here! Like, seriously here. 75-and-sunny here. And not just a teaser one day affair; it’s been like this for almost a week now! This is a big deal, people. Green things are sprouting from the ground. Trees are budding. In the morning, I grab my sunglasses instead of a winter hat and gloves. The windows are open in the condo. I have been walking around with no coat. I painted my toenails and ventured out in sandals. SPRING!!!

After the winter blahs, spring fever is all around the city. It is just so incredibly exciting to experience these signs of life. Every time I go outside and am greeted with a warm breeze, and with every glimpse of new green on the trees, it warms my heart. I’ve been indulging in the warmth every day:

Wed: running by the lake during my lunch break. In the midday sun, it was actually hot! Thurs: A lab “vitamin D walk” to the beach, which was packed with sunbathers (I guess they were off for Easter?). We may have been out of place in our actual work clothes and our scientific conversations (chatting about work stuff made us feel less guilty), but it was so fun to get out and experience the city in summer-mode. Friday: broke out the nail polish, painted my toes, and wore sandals out for an evening in a beer garden with friends. Saturday: Spring cleaning the condo, ridding it of dust and adding pretty flowers. Wandering around shopping for fun downtown. Sunday: Easter Mass in spring finery. A bike ride and hanging out with friends by the lake, and unexpectedly, I actually got some sun as my arms are a bit reddish! Oh and I baked some orange coconut scones, which turned out pretty addictive, I must say… something about coconut makes me think of Easter (maybe the way it tends to be used as decoration for goodies like those nest cookies?), and I was inspired to add some orange zest, to give the flavor a brightness that reflected the weather. Mmmm… definitely saving this recipe.

Anyway ~ I feel very blessed to be experiencing this warmth. It very much feeds into the celebration of Easter. Yesterday we sang the hymn “As the Green Blade Rises”, and I really liked the words ~ especially the last verse:

When our hearts are wintry, grieving or in pain
Your touch can call us back to life again
Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been
Love is come again like wheat arising green

Ha - something about the “hearts are wintry” gets me ~ I think I definitely had that this past winter! I am totally ready for spring, now. And it shows I guess - I've had people comment about me smiling over nothing, and it's really just that I'm so happy that winter is over! I guess that makes my sixth Chicago winter that I've survived now - crazy. I am so glad that spring is here!