Springtime's Sights, Sounds and Smells

It seems not that long ago that the fields at Dunblane Farm were covered by mountains of snow. I remember one cold evening when the temperature had dipped to minus 30 Celsius, I walked outside for a brief moment and was stunned by the quiet beauty of the moonlit night. The shadows cast by the light of the full moon were magical, and the silence was surreal save for the sound of my footsteps crushing the new fallen snow. And it was difficult to imagine that buried deep beneath the snow, life lay dormant, waiting for spring to arrive. 

Spring has arrived with a vengeance. It has been raining for three days, and it is supposed to continue into the weekend. The wild meadow is slowly beginning to awake from its winter slumber. Most of the trees still look bare and weather beaten, but some are in bloom. Our little resilient Magnolia tree has sprouted its beautiful white flowers which are already attracting all kinds of pollinators. 

This morning I stood perfectly still by our towering Sycamore tree and enjoyed the sights, sounds and smells of Springtime. The birds had arrived at our feeding station, and they were particularly active. Their happy calls filled the air with joy, not to mention my heart. Above my head at the crest of the Sycamore a lone cardinal ushered in the day with its beautiful song. It does this every morning. There must have been at least one hundred and fifty birds enjoying breakfast . I could hear the raccoons who live in our barn making their way outside. They come out hoping for something to eat, which they get. They know that Dunblane is a place of sanctuary where they have nothing to fear. 

As I was getting ready to head inside, I happened to look down at the ground. There was a carpet of wet leaves that had been neatly pressed by months of snow. The smell of the damp earth is lovely, fragrant and speaks to the promise of rebirth. In the brown leaf cover, small but brilliantly green plants were growing, adding colour to the natural mosaic.of a Springtime morning.  It took my breath away. 

Nature is amazing. 

Simply amazing. 

May we continue to be better stewards of creation. 

And may we always be kind to our friends the animals. 

What are your favourite sights, sounds and smells of Springtime? 

Have a lovely and peaceful day. 

Que Dios me los colme de bendiciones y alegría hoy y siempre.

Paz 

John