First spring day of winter

February 16th, 2024

This time I was paying attention. I wasn't expecting it today, but I was ready to soak in and enjoy it as it started happening. Today was the first spring day of the winter. It is only the middle of February, so it was earlier than usual and was probably the result of climate change, but I didn't care at all. The sun was shining from the get-go when I woke up. The air was still chilly in the morning, like several previous false start sunny days in recent weeks. Then, around 10 am, the temperature quickly rose to about 10 degrees Celsius and I dared to go outside with my jacket open and my wooly hat in the pocket of the said jacket. And it was pleasant. The sun was definitely warming my face and my neck, depending on which way I turned. There was a definite whiff of spring smell in the air — you know, the wet earth in the sun and some rot from the winter combining to create a natural aroma of the upcoming season. Birds were chirping as well in an upbeat, more energetic, and pleasantly chaotically engaging way than in winter. It lasted only until 2 pm. At that time, the sun was still strongly shining, but the chill came back into the air. This time my jacket was fully zipped up and my hat was firmly on my head. No matter. Those three hours gave me more energy than any day since last October. I was able to do more after being charged in those warm and sunny hours than I could expect — and I didn't even get tired or bored. I can feel it for real today — seasons are turning and spring is coming. It is fully expected but oh so pleasant.