Sounds, Light, and Sweetness

No, we aren't this green right now, I took this last spring :)

Even though we are awaiting the arrival of another 9 or so inches of snow, there is something different outside this morning.  So much so I just had to pause and listen, take a deep breath and visualize.  It's coming, the ever so illusive Spring.  It's just around the corner.  How do I know?  The birds are chattering.  The air the last few mornings has become more and more vocal.  More than just the little finches that have been snacking from our feeders.  I'm seeing different varieties whose voices have been hidden all winter.  I haven't seen the tell tale robin yet, but I know he's coming!

I'm not the only one on this thought process.  When I went out this morning, Garrison Keillor's opening song on A Prairie Home Companion was on and it was illustrating much the same feeling. 

Our days are getting longer, we are no longer heading out for the day and coming home from school in darkness.  And we are close to having the right conditions to attempt our first collection of maple syrup.  B has spent time this weekend analyzing our different maples to determine which ones may produce for us a sweet clear sap.  I'm looking forward to what we can make of this sticky experiment. 

I'm just waiting for the crescendo of sounds, daylight and the sweetness that is Spring.