Look out here comes tomorrow

Grey skies hang heavy above the village today and the forecast beyond today promises more of the same, but there is some light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. Today, 28th February 2023, is the last day of the meteorological winter. The times they are a-changin’.

In case you are wondering, I do realise that in the cold light, or rather dark, of day, nothing much will change in the short term. It will still get dark too early, I won’t be able to wear shorts outdoors and most trees will be bare. But at near glacial speed, things can only get better.

We’ve already seen the first fruits of spring in the form of frog spawn on our pond. I had intended to seek out the hibernating amphibians to warn them not to be fooled by recent daytime temperatures and stay in the warmth for just a few more weeks. But I was too late. They’re out and about already and soon a million or so tadpoles will be fighting for space.

Although I am not a winter lover, my partner’s deep love of gardening has made me more ‘woke’ in terms of the seasons. I now realise that I was becoming one of those ghastly old people who complained how we didn’t have seasons these days and that days merely blended into one another with no obvious change. I now realise what utter nonsense that was. Seeing photos of how our garden has changed over the months has made me realise that. The green shoots of spring really aren’t that hard to find. It’s just that unlike us humans they’re no respecters of calendars.

I am so looking forward to sitting on our arbour, overlooking the pond, because there is always so much going on, even if it’s only a wriggling snail or an over-active newt. Even a gentle breeze prompts movement of varies plants around the pond. I have never been an over-observant viewer of nature but I now understand much more than I did before.

My mood is definitely lifted on 1st March and that’s not just it’s my oldest son’s birthday. It’s a kind of psychological transformation into better times, when you can do more, travel more and wear far less clothes in so doing. Holidays that once seemed so far away are almost in touching distance. That weekend in the country, even that holiday abroad, is that much closer because it feels to me at least that the clock ticks far quicker once winter is out of the way.

I expect it will still be grey tomorrow and doubtless for the days and weeks ahead, but I know I will feel a little bit brighter as time marches on. Look out, here comes tomorrow.