7 Things I Miss About Springtime

Living close to the equator we do not experience the four seasons. The temperature and daylight hours stay pretty constant throughout the year. In this tropical climate we only have two seasons, a 6 month dry season and a 6 month rainy season, which we prefer to call the ‘green’ season.

Prior to moving to Nicaragua, if asked, I would have said my favourite season was summer, which means that living in a hot sunny country is a good fit for me. But over the past few weeks I have detected a definite shift in the content of my social media feed that has sparked a longing for springtime. You see, through peoples posts you can almost feel a palpable shift in energy as everyone shakes off the sleepy hibernation of winter and embraces the great outdoors in all its glory.

 These are 7 things that I miss about this time of year when the earth awakens:

1. Shedding Winter Woolies: After months of layered dressing (which often includes thermals!) and the requirement for a heavy duty winter coat and boots, it is such a joy to finally dig out your spring/summer attire. The fabrics are not the only things that are lighter, the colours are to… out come the yellows, oranges, greens and blues and of course fun floral prints. We’re not the only ones; animals also shed their winter coats in preparation for warmer weather.
2. Spring Flowers: From the first humble snow drops pushing their way through the snow and frost, to crocuses, daffodils, and tulips, to fields of bluebells and blossoming trees. These flowers epitomize spring to me.
3. Daylight: Although the number of hours in a day does not actually change, when the clocks ‘spring forward’ the evenings are no longer for sitting on the sofa and watching TV but for engaging in activity. As the earth leans closer to the sun, this is also the time when you turn your face towards it and feel warmth and are grateful for it.
4. Dawn Chorus: After the quiet winter months both native and migrating birds get louder. This singing is a birds’ way of attracting a mate. Then they build nests, lay eggs, and raise their chicks. Thanks to the internet (and my bird crazy brother) I can get my bird fix via live stream webcams, like this one of a pair of peregrine falcons in Nottingham. Birds are not the only ones bringing forth new life, I also miss the sight of little lambs playing in the fields.
5. April Showers: As a Brit, I am programmed to have an umbrella on my person at all times, so it feels odd not to need one! Spring is the season with the most changeable weather and don’t we love to complain about it?! I remember one specific day when at lunchtime I played golf in a t-shirt and shorts and by dinnertime it was snowing!
6. The Flurry of Activity: This is the season dedicated to de-cluttering, accomplishing DIY projects, planting a garden, even toning your body; all in preparation for the lazy days of summer.
7. That Smell: When I was at university, I’d return home to Wales after months in the city; as I’d step out of the car, the first thing I’d do was to take a deep breath… “Can you smell it?” I’d ask my parents, who’d look at me bewildered. It is hard to describe the smell of spring but it’s a mixture of earth, rain, plants, and ozone …. Funny enough, it’s the aroma of cool wet grass!!

What are your favourite things about Spring?