A  Record of Waterloo Region headline says today

Winter is over today, but expect a ‘fickle spring’

The article has a picture of a woman watering new flowering plants in the Colour of Paradise Greenhouses, while meteorologists call for a mix of sun and cloud and a high of 8 C.

After the bluster and the cold of winter, I’m ready for spring. Ready for warmth and more sunshine. I couldn’t resist it this morning, being the first day of spring. I grabbed the camera, put on my winter jacket, and headed outdoors to see what the new shoots in the garden were doing. Sure enough, the narcissus bulbs are sending their shoots up higher and it won’t be long before they send up a flowering head and bloom, while some snow still edges the flower bed in the sunny spot in front of our home. click

On side of the house that tends to have more shade, I saw the early stems of the lilies among the debris of winter and the cedar mulch of last summer. Click.

I headed for the backyard to see what was coming up there. Nothing yet, but just then a huge flock of geese flew through the sky above me. I heard the honking before I saw them. Their formation was not the usual “v” but a series of “V’s” across the bright blue sky and they so not so high so I could identify them as Canada geese. And as they passed by, other birds made themselves known with their cheerful twitters in nearby trees.

My neighbour, Ruth, reported on Facebook that a robin awaited her as she stepped out of her place of work. Next thing to check will be the buds on the trees. I’ll be taking note.

There’s nothing like new life to celebrate spring, except perhaps a new grandchild who beat them all this spring.