March always feels like the final stretch of winter, the metaphorical last mile of a marathon. And that is coming from me, someone who lives in the South where the temperature rarely gets cold enough to put away my flip-flops.
But something about this winter has felt harsh to me. Perhaps it was the week of snow and ice we got in the middle of January. Or maybe it was the erratic switch from 25 degrees to 65 degrees in the same week.
“Don’t like the weather in Tennessee?” they say. “Wait 10 minutes.”
So, to exclaim that I am ready for spring is an understatement. I have never been more ready for spring than I am this year. Like a bear coming out of hibernation, I am craving warm sunshine and longer days.
Here are some of the signs you, too, might be ready to shed some layers and come out of hiding.
Once I make it to March, I feel like I can sigh a bit with relief because I know the warm weather is so close. I was mentioning this to a friend the other day who reminded me that the blizzard of ’93 happened in March. Okay, I guess we could still get snow or ice, but if nothing else, March mentally marks the beginning of spring, even if it still feels like December.
“Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush,” wrote columnist Doug Larson.
That is exactly how I feel about March. Yes, it is still cold and gray outside, but my spirits are high because I know that the days are lengthening, and the winter is almost over.
In like a lamb and out like a lion. Sometimes I think winter might be better described as: in like a golden retriever puppy, out like a feral cat with nine lives.
Good news: This year, for the first time in four years, Punxsutawney Phil, the famous groundhog, did not see his shadow. This means spring, which officially begins March 19, will come early.
I think I may start wearing my flip-flops now.
by Weesie Cook
But something about this winter has felt harsh to me. Perhaps it was the week of snow and ice we got in the middle of January. Or maybe it was the erratic switch from 25 degrees to 65 degrees in the same week.
“Don’t like the weather in Tennessee?” they say. “Wait 10 minutes.”
So, to exclaim that I am ready for spring is an understatement. I have never been more ready for spring than I am this year. Like a bear coming out of hibernation, I am craving warm sunshine and longer days.
Here are some of the signs you, too, might be ready to shed some layers and come out of hiding.
- You spend hours looking at airbnbs in places like Key West and the Virgin Islands.
- You become a cheerleader for your daffodils and other plants that are sprouting.
- You start wearing shorts because you forgot what your legs look like.
- You give in and let your kids build forts inside because you have run out of creative indoor games to play, and they have already watched every show on Disney Plus.
- You can’t remember the last time you saw your neighbors. Did they move to the Virgin Islands?
- You find yourself craving fresh, seasonal foods like strawberries and blueberries.
- You open your windows to let in fresh air even though it’s only 40 degrees outside.
- You finally decide to take down your Christmas wreath on the door.
- You are tired of hot chocolate and tea and maybe even soup.
- You find yourself wanting to organize closets and purge all of the knick-knacks in your home.
Once I make it to March, I feel like I can sigh a bit with relief because I know the warm weather is so close. I was mentioning this to a friend the other day who reminded me that the blizzard of ’93 happened in March. Okay, I guess we could still get snow or ice, but if nothing else, March mentally marks the beginning of spring, even if it still feels like December.
“Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush,” wrote columnist Doug Larson.
That is exactly how I feel about March. Yes, it is still cold and gray outside, but my spirits are high because I know that the days are lengthening, and the winter is almost over.
In like a lamb and out like a lion. Sometimes I think winter might be better described as: in like a golden retriever puppy, out like a feral cat with nine lives.
Good news: This year, for the first time in four years, Punxsutawney Phil, the famous groundhog, did not see his shadow. This means spring, which officially begins March 19, will come early.
I think I may start wearing my flip-flops now.
by Weesie Cook