March
10
Melt
From my desk today I saw a Northern Flicker land on our fence. It had been months since I last saw one so it brought a smile to my face. He was enjoying a beautiful, sunny day in Chicago today. The temperatures were in the 50s and the snowpack of the past few months was melting so quickly you could hear the sound of water draining into the storm sewers as we passed walking our new foster dog, 8-year-old Mr. Peabody. Mr. Peabody, who we suspect in a Poodle-Schnauzer mix (a Schnoodle) ran through every puddle possible, happily splashing his way down the sidewalk, happy to be out of a cage, happy for a walk and happy to feel the sun on his back no doubt. The cold is not over here but this is my favorite time of year. You can see the tips of bright green bulbs beginning to push their way through the frozen soil toward the light. I love this time because there are months of longer days ahead and growth everywhere you turn. The landscape of our small urban yard changes daily at this time of year. Each of us will be dreaming of daffodils in bloom in the garden and birds flocking back to our fountain and cookouts and movie nights in the gazebo and bike rides and picking raspberries for breakfast and after-dinner walks and harvesting the first tomato. I have a few more evenings next to the fire in my plans too but March in Chicago is about change and discovery and so many wonderful possibilities.
yes. it's my real name. 