Sparrow's chirp means spring is near

It took a moment before I realized that sound I was hearing was a sparrow in the crab apple tree. I looked around at all the snow piled everywhere and thought the bird was crazy to be here so early.

Spring is less than a month away. I can't wait until it gets here. I wonder how long I would have to spend in the new jail if I went over there and painted tulips, daffodils and green grass on outside of the grey, block walls. The blossoms should be at least three or four feet in diameter and brightly colored. Maybe a few bluebirds and cardinals would make it even prettier. I wonder if paint will adhere as cold as it is. Sigh. I'm no artist and it wouldn't be worth it anyway, but it would make the view cheerier.

Where are the hollow chocolate Easter bunnies and the multi-colored Peeps®? They should be putting in an appearance soon. If Christmas decorations can be in the stores in late summer then Easter candy should hop onto the shelves in February.

Where do hollow chocolate rabbits hide in winter? Does all the chilly weather keep them from melting? Why aren't other candies hollow? Chocolate tastes so much better when it is shaped like a hollow bunny, so would the same be true of my favorite breakfast treat, M&M's? I think chocolate should come in other shapes as well. Just think, if you have had a bad day you could bite the head off something. That would be so much more satisfying than taking it out on everybody else.

I know why Peeps® don't come out to play. They are afraid that people will put them in a cup of hot chocolate or use them to make s'mores. After all, people have been know to put the marshmallowy creatures in the microwave just to see how big they will get when heated.

When Peeps® and candy rabbits come out to play, warm weather can't be far behind. With all the snow we have had lately, I am ready for some balmy days.

The garden catalogs are brimming with colorful vegetables. They promise more color, better flavor, bigger fruits or vegetables. The catalogs come out before Easter candy but I have found it is better to wait until the last Peep® has met its fate before attempting to plant anything.

If I get too eager for new greenery I end up with spindly plants and too many tiny seedlings to deal with. But that sparrow gives me hope that spring is getting nearer. True, it isn't close enough to start forcing forsythia or pussy willow branches. I am still slipping and sliding on the way to work. And the temperature has yet to get above freezing for very long.

If the sparrow is in the crab apple tree, the hollow chocolate rabbits and squishy Peeps® can't be far behind. Once those are gone then warm weather is sure to follow. Isn't it?[[In-content Ad]]