Updated from 2014
Springtime…
The very word evokes vivid images, sounds, and smells, especially for those of us who live in a part of the world where Spring is a distinct season. Spring is also laced with symbols of rebirth and hope after the darkness of winter. Every bulb that pushes its way through clods of dirt into its first breath of air and light is a metaphor for triumph over adversity.
Even when we were in the depths of the COVID pandemic, Nature had this powerful lesson to teach us: beyond the clouds, the sun still shines, and after Winter, there is always Spring.
What’s blooming?
Signs of spring came early in the Shenandoah Valley this year—flowering fruit trees and Bradford pear trees are blooming. Daffodils and maple trees are getting fuller and more colorful. The forsythia has been vibrant and lush. It’s always among the first spots of color in my yard. We’ll soon be seeing dogwood and redbud.
The birds have been absolutely raucous! My Eastern Phoebe has returned to make her nest in the corner of our porch, thwarted by the boxes John used to block the ledges and keep the birds from making their muddy, messy nests. The Carolina Wren still amazes me with the amount of sound that comes out of such a small body. Earthworms are in big trouble — I see American Robins everywhere digging in the moist ground.
Have you noticed that spring rains have an entirely different smell from those in winter? Their scent is fresher and filled with the promise of things to come.
In late winter, the Spring Peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) had already begun their wonderful chorus of peeping that, to me, is one of the most conspicuous and early signs of spring, especially where I live down by the north fork of the Shenandoah River. The melodic ensemble we hear on balmy spring evenings is in fact a spring peeper courtship ceremony. Male spring peepers serenade the females, attracting them with their captivating chirps.
Though spring peepers are small tree frogs, they don’t actually spend much time in trees, and they are nocturnal carnivores, primarily devouring insects and arachnoids.
Who knew?
The “crucifer” in its Latin name comes from the distinctive dark X pattern on its back. Here’s a close-up view of a spring peeper peeping…amazing! The swelling you see is the frog’s vocal sac. In order to produce their calls, peepers shut their nostrils and mouths, then contract their lungs. This leads to the inflation of the vocal sac in the throat, resembling a balloon. The distinctive peeping noise is created when air exits the lungs, flows over the vocal cords, and enters the inflated vocal sac.
Sometimes the Biology major in me gets carried away…
Connect with Nature
Connecting with the natural world around you is, I believe, one of the Heartspoken Life’s four essential connections. Getting outside will enhance your pleasure, enjoyment, and gratitude for the wonders of Nature, and it all starts with just paying attention. Notice the daily changes in your walks to the car and outside your window. Sunshine and fresh air are good for both body and soul, especially in times of stress and anxiety.
What are YOUR favorite signs of spring?
Please share in the comments below.
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Love this, Elizabeth! Our kitties are sitting and staring up a lot lately. Birds are nesting in the eaves of our house and our neighbors’. Makes for great KittyTV. Today I opened the patio door so they could have the “sound on.” It’s a song for the soul to be sure.
“A song to the soul” — yes, yes, yes! What a lovely way to look at it, Katherine. Thanks so much for reading and leaving this beautiful comment.
I’m starting to hear more birds calling out to each other. I love waking up to that in the morning.
Me too! Though I stayed with someone years ago where there was a Carolina Wren right outside her guest bedroom window. Talk about a loud wake-up call! :-).
The red-winged blackbirds are back and the loon. The first daffodils opened up this week. We’ve had heather, paper-whites and snowdrops. Elsewhere, first buds of cherry trees. Such renewal. So grateful for it.
Yes, I’ve been hearing the red-winged blackbirds’ distinctive call in our fields but haven’t seen them yet. We don’t have loons here in the Shenandoah Valley but I’ve seen them over on the coast. I agree with your expression of gratitude — even after a mild winter, it is wonderful to see these signs of life.
Our earliest spring harbingers arrive in late February when the first crocuses emerge. I know in my heart that it’s not really spring yet, but I always eagerly start looking for them in mid February–mostly because *I’m* ready for spring even if Mother Earth isn’t quite yet. But being a native Washingtonian (DC), my favorite, favorite sign of spring is the blooming of the cherry blossoms, especially around the Tidal Basin, but also throughout our suburban neighborhood, too. And since I love birds, I also note with pleasure the first arrival of each species that has been absent over the winter. After this year’s winter (even though really only a harsh one in comparison with recent years, not with a long view), all these signs are even more welcome than in the last few years.
Don’t you just love those first signs of new life, new growth? You’ve captured it beautifully, and I wish all my readers would begin to be more observant about these seasonal changes. They bring such pleasure and such meaningful connection with the natural world around us. Thank you so much for sharing this, Beth.
Oh these are wonderful descriptions, Esther! Thank you so much for helping us connect with your little spot of Eden. Now I need to run down to the river and see what MY Virginia bluebells are doing! I’ve heard of bloodroot but don’t know it to see it. I’ve got a wonderful little book of Blue Ridge wildflowers, so I’ll go look it up. I remember may apples from the woods growing up in Fauquier County.
I start looking in March for evidence of shoots in my patch of Virginia bluebells. The very earliest stalks are almost purple, lightening to pale green as they grow and the leaves unfold. They’re blooming now, beautiful blue to start, fading to pink. I’m going to go look again today for signs of bloodroot. The leaves are distinctive and the gorgeous white flowers last such a short time they are considered ephemerals. I discovered a nice patch of may apples last night at dusk, as the rain let up. Where did they come from? I’ll have to point them out to the mower of the sinkhole so they have a chance to bloom. The gnarled redbud that shaded our pool is gone now but two of its offspring are large enough to bloom and life goes on. Now if our old spring is running, I will know we have plentiful groundwater and this season will be a good one.