This is a quick post inspired by SPRING and the coming return of leafy things in the north country. Right now, the watery demise of our record snow this winter has made menacing icebergs with an unattractive dirty crust. It hardly feels like nature worth noticing as I await my favorite signs of spring like the bloodroot and lilies of the valley. But I like the humbling effect of having to dodge jutting ice or the accidental step in a puddle deeper than I thought. It makes things a little exciting, and it helps me stay in the present moment for sure.

Making the steep transition from winter to spring can be challenging for many people. But observing a season worth of colorful debris slowly appearing like archeological finds in the melting snow banks can be a way of noticing nature. Or observing the power of water as it cuts rivers into cracks in the ice. You can even monitor the rate of snowmelt by noting how much more of your lawn signs you see each day.

Noticing nature doesn’t have to be glamorous or require anything beyond your five senses. If you have kids in your life, actively observing winter transitioning to spring can be a ton of fun! What does a melting snow pile look like super close up? How many different colors can you find in the debris revealed as the snow melts? How does it sound different outside?

Notice Nature Everywhere is my motto this year. It’s free, easy, and it is very good way for our brains to get a break from the digital world. So go outside and see what you see today! (Maybe consider wearing this cool t-shirt to inspire others, too?!)