Jeepers, Creepers

The spring peepers are making a helluva racket tonight.

Bravo! I say. Let them sing! It's music to my ears.

When you live in this part of the country, you become accustomed to taking the weather in stride. Summer can be brutishly hot and humid. Winter is cold and wet...and about three months longer than it needs to be. That doesn't leave a lot of time for 'temperate'. So we learn here to ignore the weather. We dress in layers -- always -- because it seems you're always taking something off or putting something on. We have rubber boots and flip-flops next to the back door at the same time, as we'll often use both in a single day.

We're tough. We wear that weather-proof toughness like a badge around here.

But this year, the winter even started to "get to" the already weatherbeaten residents of the North Coast. I think it's because so much of our winter snow and ice this year arrived in March, when we're accustomed to being able to catch that very first scent of worms and the crocus make their first appearances. Between Valentine's Day and Easter, we measured our snowfall in feet, not inches. Or perhaps it's because Easter arrived so early this year and we so look forward to marking the holiday with that first daffodil rather than with shovels and rock salt.

The spring peepers started to sing last week, during a night marked by a light coating of ice on the birdbaths. I think they'd had it, too.

And tonight, with our mid-50's temperatures, they are performing one of their evening crescendos.

Today, the sun shone, the hyacinth started to bloom, the kids rode their bikes up and down neighborhood driveways. The smell of neighbors burning last Autumn's neglected leaves was accented by the smell of charcoal lighter. The worms made their appearances atop freshly turned soil.

The trout lilies have begun to peek through the moss and leaves in the woods behind the house. In another week, we'll have a delicate riot of yellow flowers standing in defiance against winter's last winds. Basketballs and sleds will continue to share front porch space for a few weeks, anticipating the arrival of the afternoon school bus. But I think we've safely turned the corner.

I think spring is finally, blessedly, arriving.

And not a moment too soon.

P.S. Eve went home on Saturday. Her mom is looking forward to spoiling her rotten all summer. :)