Spring Fever

        Growing up, I was fortunate to have those (awesome) parents that kick you outside when your bored, and a fun loving (occasionally psycho) younger brother who I spent most of the days exploring the woods with. As we lived in the country, Shane and I would traipse around our 4+ acres of land in rubber boots and windbreakers trying to identify new species of mushrooms or climb sticky sap covered pine trees as high as we could as soon as spring hit. We would make up countless games and stay out until one of us was cold, tired or hungry. We never played alone either, between neighboring friends and the fact that we also owned 2 big dogs (and one smaller one), too many cats (That I stuck in baby strollers from time to time), and occasional owned some pigs (Huey, Duey, and Louise). Not counting the wild animals we took in and failed to nurture like baby bunnies or tiny muskrats, nor counting the meandering neighborhood dairy cow escapees who would come nibble on our grass (I guess it was greener on the other side). Needless to say, entertainment was never far away.

          From season to season our outdoor pass times changed. In the summer, we swam, picked flowers, tortured poor snakes and frogs, and road our bikes. In the Autumn we hunted for salamanders under the leaves, and collected all the beautiful bright red, orange, and yellow plant life. When winter came we took advantage of the bad-ass toboggan run that our driveway transformed into, occasionally running into a dog with a JT racer by accident. No matter the season, we were outside often, but I have to say that when its cold enough to need a sweater, but warm enough to switch winter boots for hiking shoes... Its my favourite season. When the snow melted and we were able hear the small waterfall in the woods running from our front door, I knew it was spring and summer was around the corner. Something about tiny green sprouts, and the smell of a mud puddle makes me deliriously happy. So much so that I must wonder why I live in the city. None of these things are city things, right?

         Wrong. I've got a bad case of spring fever and I will not let a few sky scrapers hide my Mother Nature from me. Yesterday, I wore only a sweater for most of the day, ogled at mud puddles, and could hear running water rushing through storm sewers. I watched squirrels come out of hiding all mangy and starving, and birds chirping so happily you could hear their tiny dimples forming. Through my (New) sunglasses I could see the extra energy emitting from humans, pets, and city wildlife a like as if there were actually stink lines. That's right - Get outside and blow the stink off you, just like Grandma says! 

     

Spring 2013 - Toronto, Ontario

            Mom always talked about March as a tricky month when we were kids (and she still does). Like the well known proverb, she would tell us that March can come in like a lion and leave like a lamb. As a child, this was confusing. How is a month like an animal mom? You crazy. This March could not have been more exactly like that, and I enjoyed the hell out of my long awaited sunny lamb cuddles. You can take the girl out of the woods, but you can't take the woods out of the girl.

Happy spring time to you and yours,

Lauren  <3