I detect a certain "springiness" about.

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A few weeks ago, I found some delightful jingle bells on the back porch. They made a surprisingly clear and piercing jingle, that was still so soft and delicate that when you heard them you couldn't help but imagine a sweet summer breeze, or the pitter-patter of tiny feet angels' feet dancing on your ceiling. I strung the bells onto a bit of dogbane I'd twisted at home during the Christmas break, and then carried that string of bells in my pocket for about the next week. About me was a haze of silver music, little tinkly notes, and I couldn't help but imagine that everyone thought to themselves that I was somehow very pleasant and soothing, that they could not put their finger on exactly what it was, but it's almost as if they heard bells when I was around.

Perhaps it was all that jingling raucous that put the "spring" in all the plants around town (below, an excerpt from an email to my sister):

Ooooh. Sandstorms? That does sound exciting. I imagine running around in a sand storm would make me feel a little like Indiana Jones! Spring has sprung around here. I first noticed it at the end of January after a particularly long and cold snap of weather. As I petaled to work, I was surprised to hear such joyous songs from all the birds. I think they knew right then that spring had begun. Then a couple weeks back (February the 26th, I think), I was riding home along river on the bike path, when I heard a familiar call from a pine tree. I searched the tree for a few minutes before I saw a red-winged blackbird perched atop a pine tree. True heralds of spring, the red-winged is. From the northern US, it migrates down to southern states in the late fall and winter, and returns to its nesting sights early in spring.

Last Sunday, I rode my bike out to Stroud's Run to see if the forest was feeling very springy, and indeed it was. No wildflowers were out, but their leaves had already poked through the soil surface. They should bloom soon. The city, however, begins to look very festive. Forget-me-nots are in flower (these are teeny tiny blue and white flowers on a creeping green ground cover), so are some other mints and daffodils. The trees are awake, too. Maples have begun flower (though no leaves yet), and cultivated varieties of witch hazels. I've pointed out to the children a young weeping willow tree in our playground at preschool that has begun to push out tiny, bright green leaves.

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