I don’t know whether it was because it was overcast on Tuesday (Groundhog Day) or whether it’s just our normal seasonal progression but it looks like winter is defeated. The Groundhog must be ready to come out and play. I’d no sooner finished lamenting about our harsher than usual winter when I saw my first sign of spring.

Credit: Edinburgh Photographic Society

As I walked up to the front door of our office this morning I noticed a clump of snowdrops. There’s about twenty of them. Their plump white heads are bent as if dozing, not yet ready to wake. Sparkling water drops, almost the size of their flowers, cling to and dangle from them. Once they shake off those heavy weights I’m sure they will perk up and look around. Then spring will be well on its way. Seeing them sitting there, waiting, cheers and invigorates me. And it reminds me that it’s time to start using some of the new ideas I’ve been toying with for writing projects .