So Long Chi-beria!

Between Polar Vortex and some smaller storms before and after, Chicago earned the nickname "Chi-beria" this year. It wasn't just my little Southern soul shivering in a northern winter, schools and business actually closed because it was too cold!

Chicago and melting Lake Michigan

Now, I come from a glorious portion of the the country where the daffodils bloom by mid February at the absolute latest, so two inches of snow the first day of March was just a bit too much for me. Despite my best efforts to go and do, when there aren't flowers blooming by the end of February and I haven't seen the ground for months because of the snow and ice I start to panic.  Immediately my subconscious decides that spring didn't survive the winter.

It's a pretty silly thing to think. As long as the earth is still rotating, the seasons will keep changing. After all, Hades cannot keep fair Persephone with him the entire year. I know that spring will come, but also I don't know that it will come. When the dark days drag on and the occasional sunny day is below freezing, it's hard to remember green growing things.

Teeny-tiny baby leaves!

But today, today was sunny and warm. When I ventured out with my paints, there were tiny rivers beginning on all the sidewalks and the grass (though dead-looking) had appeared. The main sidewalks were full of people out jogging or walking their dogs and they actually smiled.

Closer to Lake Michigan there were more rivulets and a few trees even had the beginnings of buds. Out on the lake front joggers, cyclist, and dog walkers were all frolicking and so were the birds. From the apartment windows I only see distant pigeons and once I saw a titmouse investigate our trees. Out there, the air rang with birds singing, calling, chiding in many voices.

I settled in and began painting. Just as I was becoming engrossed in the colors I heard a noise I didn't recognize and looked about. Not seeing anything unusually I turned back to my painting. Again the noise and again I didn't understand. After the seagull, who'd been begging for the paintbrushes he assumed were food, left I realized what it was: ice breaking!

Spring is still awhile away (more snow to come this week) but the ice is breaking and the buds are forming.

My sketch from the lake front