SPRING THINGS: TO EVERYTHING A SEASON

The seed catalogs haven't found their way to the mailbox yet, but this morning in my Northeast Ohio valley, I saw a group of mourning doves--harbingers of spring in this part of the country. Soon I'll see a duck or two returning to the creek (after all, it's February), and perhaps a great blue heron flying in from winter relocation. Best of all, today the dawn arrived before I was expecting it; the days are growing longer.
Now... all I need is to hear the rich and throaty morning greeting of a redwing blackbird, and I'll know that spring is in the wings, though winter will, as always, be reluctant in relinquishing the stage.
I may love the winter as I love all the seasons in my Ohio, but I'm champing at the bit for the earth to free itself from snow and come to life again.
R.A.T. (Rose About Town)