Five on Friday: Signs of Spring

It seems fitting that Easter is on April Fools' Day this year, with the back-to-back-to-back storms in March culminating with a  foot of snow on the first day of spring.  There are still  piles of snow around and my crocuses aren't blooming yet so it's hard to believe winter is over.

I'm looking for signs of spring for today's Five on Friday . . . .

1. The birds are singing! Poor things--even on that first day with all the snow falling, they were out their chirping their little hearts out. Thank you, birds. You definitely make it feel like spring.

2. No crocuses (or hyacinths or daffodils or anything blooming yet) but the forsythia bushes are taking on that distinct yellow sheen that means their blossoms are coming soon. I need to remember to bring a few branches in to force them open.

3.  The days are getting longer and so is my spring cleaning to-do list. I'm getting itchy for open windows and organization.

4. While there are still patches of snow on the ground, their are also wide swaths of green . . . and red, yellow, blue, orange, purple . . . all the toys that were hidden under the snow are reemerging.

5. The snow boots shall henceforth be referred to as mud boots.