Spring

Spring is here!

For me spring is always marked by several things. Obviously the weather turning warmer is one, but it is only one. When I see the Geese fly I always experience incredible joy and relief.  Joy because I know migration season has begun, and relief because I really dislike winter intensely.  This is the point when I get spring fever. Ever since I started to go birdwatching and realized that some part of me needs to be close to nature, this happens to me every year and is incredibly intense.

The first hint that I have spring fever is when I resist going to work on a daily basis, doing household chores or going shopping.  I grumble and groan, while my mind yells very loudly "I don't want to".  All I really want to do for the first couple of weeks of spring is be outside to soak up the sun, go for long walks and visit nature in various locations that bring me peace.

 

Spring Geese

I  find  myself constantly looking to the sky for birds that I  haven't seen all winter, as well as those that I have never seen and waiting for the sun to begin rising earlier, since I am usually up quite early in the morning.  I also watch the snow melt impatiently, while actively looking for patches of green in the form of new growth and life both underfoot and around me. This is a signal for me to take up the habit of carrying a camera at all times.

Spring is the time of year when I always feel like I'm waking up and truly becoming aware. While most people scramble to buy gardening and spring cleaning supplies, I scramble to make sure I have everything I need for birdwatching excursions.  My camera equipment and binoculars are checked over to make sure they are in good working order, and sometimes I add to my equipment.  This year I plan to buy a tripod, for example and almost always I start looking for a sturdy pair of shoes for walking.

My backpack is checked over to make sure it is still in good condition, and thus cleared out, reorganized, and loaded with camera equipment, spare SD cards, batteries, binoculars, lense cleaners, sunglasses, spare glasses, and a water bottle.  Doing this helps me deal with spring fever, even though it doesn't truly take all that long.  I also try to do some trip planning.  These actions are a promise to myself that I will get out in the sunshine at the earliest opportunity, which helps me focus and makes forcing myself go to work a little easier.

This year I really look forward to going birdwatching, as I have a new camera for which I also bought another, better camera lense a couple of months ago.  This means of course that this year's preparation will also include familiarizing myself with my new equipment.  I can't wait to get going.

Susan