Spring.

So, I should probably be writing about something else. Like the post about mean kids that I promised. Or some commentary on the two major news headlines this week. About those, all I have to say is 1) I'm sorry that my vote doesn't really count, and 2) Proverbs 24:17 {with thanks to Jeffrey Overstreet for bringing that one to mind}

But all I really want to do is quote from Purple Springs by Nellie McClung (I've recently become a huge fan of her fiction. And Pearl Watson may have replaced a certain red-haired heroine as my "Favourite Heroine in Early 20th Century Canadian Fiction") Spring has had a hard go of things this year here in Southern Manitoba. We've managed to melt the snow only to have it covered by not one, not two, but THREE Spring snow storms (the last of which was on May 1st). So in honour of Spring, here goes...

"The Spring was late, cruelly late, so late indeed that if it had been anything else but a season, it would have found itself in serious trouble - with the door locked and a note pinned on the outside telling it if it could not come in time it need not come at all. But the Spring has to be taken in, whenever it comes - and be forgiven too, and even if there were no note on the door, there were other intimations of like effect, which no intelligent young Spring could fail to understand. Dead cattle lay on the river bank, looking sightlessly up to the sky. They had waited, and waited, and hung on to life just as long as they could, but they had to give in at last.

Spring came at last, brimful of excitement and apologies. It was a full-hearted, impulsive and repentant young Spring, and lavished all its gifts with a prodigal hand; its breezes were as coaxing as June; its head burned like the first of July; its sunshine was as rich and mellow as the sunshine of August. Spring had acknowledged its debt and the overdue interest, and hoped to prevent any unpleasantness by paying all arrears and a lump sum in advance; and doing it with such a flourish of good fellowship that the memory of its past delinquency would be entirely swept away!"

Now those are the words of someone who knows about Manitoba Springs! Happy Mothers' Day, everyone!