Have you lost anything in the last few months? Keys? Gloves? We are heading into that in-between time when our pristine (mostly) snow cover has melted away and the greening has not yet happened.
As soon as the snow goes, all the lost things come to light. Since there are about one million people in our metropolitan area, there are a lot of ‘things’ … keys, gloves, papers, plastic bags, shopping lists, ad letters, and inexplicably, a pot lid and one shoe in our sight line. There is mud and dust and piles of gravel. Even most cars look spring-splashed. It is not a pretty time of year.
Looking out the bus window at the drab, littered landscape the other day, I wondered what could be done to brighten it up. It seems to last for weeks and weeks. Surprisingly, the answer started showing all around me — a striped scarf walked by, then yellow gloves and a pink jacket. By the time greet boots boarded, I had it figured out. We can bloom.
Red, yellow, blue, purple — go to a thrift shop and find a handful of scarves. Brilliant socks won’t break the bank and a rainbow of gloves will keep your fingers warm these cool spring mornings. Our practical, useful, black, navy blue and brown coats are just fine for a background. Dress them up. Polka dots, stripes, happy faces, swirls, paisley. Throw a colour party.
Soon, green leaves and grass will take over. Flowers will spill out of pots, edge sidewalks and trail from hanging baskets. Then, it is wonderful to look out windows and see colour all around us. In the meantime, the in-between time, we can celebrate at each other.
Patricia Hamilton, St. Albert
