Sunnier Thoughts

It's one of those fine sunny late February mornings when one feels that warmer times are just over the hill and cavorting behind the trees. There are clear blue skies beyond the windows and legions of happy crows dancing about in my neighbour's yard and cackling uproariously at their own jokes. A single male cardinal is singing a spring song in the park, but he is too far away to capture on a memory card, even with the best telephoto lens. I can hear his jubilant song clearly though, and I can see his splash of brilliant red at the top of an oak tree one street away.

This morning, I can sense springtime in my old bones and sinews and feel light and warmth returning. The morning sun is shining like butterscotch through the leaves of the house plants in the south facing dining room, and out in the garden, a light breeze is moving the elegantly curled leaves of the beech tree about with enthusiasm. It is probably just my imagination, but in the last day or two, last year's leaves seem to have rediscovered a small measure of their former colour and personality, and there are miniscule rosy buds on many of the shrubs in the garden. Hallelujah. . . .