Determination

Seems to me the early mornings are just a slight bit warmer these days.  This makes for a layer of fog to hover over the patchy snow that refuses to relinquish its position of power.  These are mornings of promise.  Promising us things in the following months that of late we could barely remember.  Things like warm breezes, green grass and chirping frogs.  The Canandian geese have already assaulted our senses, massing in the hundreds and covering the fields.  Their bekoning chorus continues well into the night, and in the morning the numbers have grown.  These are the days when Mother Nature must push and pull her children along.  Jack Frost played it long and heavy this year.  The Root Children are weary and slow, but just a little further, she smiles and holds out her hand.  A little coaxing and persuasion for they must survive only one more month, perhaps one more snow.  They must find the determination in themselves for one last effort until bursting into the Spring sun, to be easy and effortlessly sustained through the Summer.

These feats of determination are evident across the barnyard.  A gorgeous web has been hanging delicately on our horse-drawn hayrake for the past few days.  Each morning slightly worn at the edges and sagging in the fog, but still there.  Fat, green caterpillars have wiggled their way out of the mulch only to curl upon themselves as the temperatures drop at night.  Leopard frogs sun themselves on the rocks by the spring.  Frightened by the rustle of red-winged blackbirds, they jump back into the 50 degree water and are immobilized until the clouds pass from across the sun.

 

But these days are numbered.  And if we hold fast to our determination, we'll be dancing in the Spring rains, glorifying the newness of Mother Nature's achievements for yet another year.