There’s nothing quite as breathtakingly blissful as opening the windows for the first time each spring. Even though patches of snow may still be hiding along the forest’s edge, the warmth and sunshine are too wonderful to keep outside any longer. And with the fresh air of spring, a sense of hope and life is ushered into our dormancy. Spring is truly a beautiful season of opportunity and joy. Here’s what I love most about early spring…

• The first green shoots poking up through the ground
• Morning tea out on the porch — still cold enough to need a jacket, but warm enough to enjoy the sunshine fully
• The fresh, earthy smells of spring wafting in through open windows, filling every corner of the home
• The ever-changing soundtrack of spring as songbirds return to perch in the trees and call out to one another
• A renewed energy that seems to come out of nowhere — it feels like a deep breath for the whole mind, body, and soul
• Walking through the forest, reveling in the life and color that’s returned
• Planning the gardens and preparing the soil for planting with eager anticipation
• The first buds on the tips of the trees
• Watching the chickens scratch and peck at the grass with overwhelming joy
• Slow Saturdays out in the yard, gardening with my love — waving to each other from across the yard, from one garden to the other
• Exploring the wonders of nature with my nieces — searching for fairy houses and discovering little signs of life and growth all around us
• Watching our cats bask in patches of sun and chatter at the birds fluttering in and out of the bushes
• Green, green, green!
• The first flower blooms joyfully drawing us into a new season filled with hope, renewal, growth, and life