Spring is coming

As we come to the end of February and the days grow lighter and a little warmer, it is wonderful to see snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils pushing through the grass everywhere — by the roadside, in small patches of ground, and in gardens bursting with white, purple and yellow. Quietly and confidently, announcing the start of spring.

There is an expectation of better times ahead. We can begin to shed coats, gloves and scarves, letting our bodies breathe again. The sun rises earlier and lingers longer in the evening, its rays noticeably warmer than they were just a fortnight ago.

The seldom-seen gardeners of the winter months now reappear. They clear away soggy leaves left in corners and turn the soil, allowing air to reach deeper. There is movement again, steady but not hurried.

Advertisers, too, sense the change. Holidays fill our screens, promising sea and sun, lazy afternoons and lively evenings — food, wine, laughter and perhaps a hint of romance carried in the air.

Soon, summer shorts and sandals will replace woollens and boots. Not just yet — there is still a chill in the wind. But it is coming.

Not long now before nature transforms itself from dormant to fully alive again. Perhaps it is the perfect time to start something new.