I have always lived in the Northeast of the US. I don't know what the changing of the seasons are like elsewhere, but with the end of Winter and the promise of Spring comes an exciting energy for me. Spring has always been my favorite season (plus my birthday is in April). I love to garden and when the snow thaws, I find myself walking around the yard staring at the ground looking for signs of emerging spring-blooming bulbs and to see if new plants survived their first winter.
I think about all the projects I want to tackle outside and how I need to have ceramics ready for outdoor farmer and makers markets, which are just around the corner. It's nice to see people moving more slowly, enjoying being outside, rather than quickly moving from car to indoors. Even time in the studio becomes more enjoyable. The space heater gets clicked off and the door is opened to let in fresh air. Somehow 50 degrees on a sunny Spring day is much more enjoyable than 50 degrees inside wrapped up in layers.
Ideas start emerging and the list of projects grow. I find myself feeling very hopeful and ambitious about the coming year. Twinges of feeling overwhelmed may pop up, but the excitement of what's to come is stronger.
Happy Spring!