Finally, It's Spring in Central Pennsylvania!

It's springtime! Everything around us in Central Pennsylvania whispers of the beginning of spring ever since the calendar has been turned to April. The onion snow has melted, and warmer temperatures have antsy homeowners mowing lawns and inspecting the flora and fauna in their yards.

The rhubarb has valiantly pushed itself out of the ground, fearless of freezing nights. Fiddleheads have recently appeared, along with the first dandelions the bees have patiently been waiting for.

 Lilac bushes are decked out in green buds and tiny purple blossom tips which will transform into delicate, lavender flowers to make the evening air smell sweet and pleasurable. Daffodils and the tiny Muscari Latifolium, from the grape hyacinth clan, have popped up and spread out low to the still-chilly ground.

The chickadees and cardinals, two of the first birds to appear each spring, have found the seed feeders and persistently call to their respective mates. Sparrows sing a merry tune while a nearby wren just chatters her displeasure like a cranky child.

Canada geese, winging north, honk out a lonesome sound  and skim the trees looking for the safety of water where they’ll rest for the night before taking flight the next day. And in the swamps, marshes and pond perimeters, the peepers send up a nightly chorus of a song reminding everyone that finally—yes, it’s springtime in Pennsylvania. Finally!