I don’t know whether or not this is an official holiday.  I only know that as a native New Englander a bright spot at the end of a long dreary winter is the first sign of spring.   Today I noticed the first robin of 2012.  Although it is gray and a cold mist is falling, chilling a body to the bone, this harbinger of spring completely improved my mood.

I immediately wanted to commemorate this momentous occasion.  But what to do?  I realize that the official spring date is still several weeks away, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel and perhaps I can hurry things along with a celebration.

Tulips!  This graceful flower never fails to inspire thoughts of warm weather and sunshine.  So I set off to the market to buy a bunch.  Whilst at the market I had thoughts of a springtime feast so I bought some fresh asparagus that will be later roasted with a bit of olive oil and salt and sprinkled with parmesan cheese.  Nothing says spring like the taste of asparagus.

It’s still too cold to open the windows and air out the humble abode, but that won’t stop me from doing a little (and I do mean little) spring cleaning.  I’ll clean out my clothes closet and bring some items to goodwill.  While there, I might find a little windowsill treasure that invites the hope of spring.

If you are a teacher or a parent of a young child you might like to try what I used to do with my students.  As spring drew near, I encouraged my students to be on the lookout for signs of spring.  For our share time, students either showed a drawing of their observation or told about what they had seen.  Needless to say, I read book upon book about this special season.

When my son was younger and inclined to go for long walks with me, we often went on a scavenger hunt of sorts, looking for indications of spring.  Those were delightful ramblings.  We were in no hurry to get to a particular destination.  We truly did stop to smell the earth warming, feel the sunshine on our faces, and hear the songs of the birds who had finally returned home from their winter respite.

I hope that you will be on the lookout during these early March days.  And since I no longer have an “official” classroom of my own I’d love to hear of your springtime discoveries and celebrations.