Signs of Spring

When my now 13 year-old son was little we'd take walks in late February/early March looking for "signs of spring". His face would fill with wonder noticing brand new blossoms, leaf sprouts that hadn't been present the day before, empty birds' eggs cracked open on the sidewalks.

Last night walking my dog at dusk I heard an owl close by. I found her silhouette in a tree branch rising from behind the house we'd paused in front of. A big silhouette! We waited, listening, watching, wanting to witness her flight. A woman crept towards us, excited- I hear the owl, can you see it? I helped her find it. A young boy in a mask was next... the owl! can you see it? We helped him find it. And then, with the three of us and my dog watching, she spread her wide wide wings and flew down behind the house and on her way.