Waking up

I love how our little neighborhood--just one street with a cul-de-sac at the end--wakes up during the first warm days of spring. Windows and doors peek open, then shut, then open again, testing the strength of the sun and wind. It's sort of like when I wake Oldest, Middle, and Youngest in the morning--their eyes open, close against the surprise of the light, and then open again, maybe not quite as far.

Up and down the street, people head outdoors. We sit on our porches, go for walks, and our kids ride bikes or skateboards up and down the street or play ball in and across yards. We smile and wave like we've forgotten we had neighbors; all winter long we hurry from car to house with our heads down. Some of the more optimistic even begin a little yard work. Husband will groan when I tell him that the man across the street had out the gas cans for his lawnmower this afternoon. 

With windows open or from my spot on the porch, I can hear birdsong--the chirps and whistles drowned out every once in a while by the low rumbling of a motorcycle. The voices of kids calling to each other and laughing carry on the breeze and I don't recognize all the voices yet. Some sound older since the last warmish days of fall and a couple are new to the neighborhood. 

With the neighborhood waking around me, I settle a little lower into my chair at the end of the porch. The sun is warm and the breeze light. It's early yet and there will be more cold days before spring comes for real...but for now, I plan to close my eyes and soak up the feeling of the wide-awake spring that's on its way.